The dark throne
by AneAnemone
Summary: It's been 300 years since the conclusion of the holy war. 300 years since Meliodas was crowned as the new demon king. 300 years since his love, Elizabeth was stolen away from him, taken by death. He's slowly been getting better since then, but now he has to meet the different races at a big meeting.
1. Prolouge

**A/N**

**Credit 1: Nanatsu no taizai belongs to Nakaba Suzuki**

**Credit 2: this AU is made by Studioellin on Tumblr, she's also the one that made the artwork for the cover image of this book.**

**She's amazing you should really check her out!**

**My version of the story will obviously differ a big from Studioellin's exact version.**

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX **

**Third person POV—**

A battle between blood.

Father and son.

Crown prince and king.

Had just been decided.

Meliodas, the crown prince of the demons had fulfilled his promise.

A promise to cut down the demon king, his own father, and take his place as demon king, so that he could make up for the mistakes that his father had made, and then turn demon realm into a peaceful realm.

That promise is what had drawn his younger brother Zeldris to join forces with him, along with the majority of all other demons.

As Elizabeth had once said, no one really wanted this war...

But the only people who had been on top of this mountain this fateful day was Meliodas, the demon king, and Meliodas's lover, Elizabeth...

Of the three...only one was left alive...

That being Meliodas...

He could barely remember the last stretch of the battle, the moment Elizabeth hit the ground, bloodied and broken, he had completely lost it.

Now his father laid on the ground, unmoving. Dead.

Meliodas had won.

But no wonder he didn't feel like a winner.

"Please...not like this..." Meliodas whispered softly had he held onto Elizabeth's body for dear life, as if she'd disappear if he loosened his grip on her.

"Elizabeth ...please..." he begged hopelessly.

He already knew...she had been dead before she even hit the ground.

Elizabeth has been the one who had encouraged all of this.

Asking him to not betray his family and his entire clan just for her.

"You know once the demon king is dead they'll need a new leader"

"I am 0% interested"

That is how part of their conversation had went.

And truly, Meliodas did not wish to be king.

All he wanted was to live out his life somewhere with Elizabeth.

But with Elizabeth gone...that dream was now no longer a possibility.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**—1 month later—**

**Meliodas's POV-**

I stood on my balcony high above the ground, looking down at the land below me.

So high up...

It would be so easy to just end it all right here.

Just to see her smiling face again...

"..." I let that dwell in my minx for a while.

Then I let out a broken and fake laugh.

No...she wouldn't smile at me if I did that...

"She would probably smack me with an ark and proceed to call me an idiot" I whispered to myself.

"I have a responsibility" I said lifting my head to look out onto the kingdom I was now in charge of, as their new king.

I'm suppose to stand tall and face the hardship when they're not able to.

The smallest of smiles came upon my face at that time.

"I'll see you again...someday" I whispered, hoping my voice could reach her..."

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX **

**(This is only the prologue which is why it's so short. **

**I swear the actual chapters will be longer)**


	2. Chapter 1

**—300 years later—**

**(A/N - plz just imagine that**

**everything/ everyone in canon is already there only after 300 years!)**

**Third person POV -**

During the 300 years that had passed since the war, Elizabeth's death, and Meliodas's crowning, quite a few things had happened.

The demon clan had become more reserved, not communicating as much with the other races as they maybe should.

The reason being the hate everyone showed the demons even after the war had ended.

The rumors had spread wildfire and so they decided to lay low.

They were fine with this.

Or...well...most of them...

"I'm going to Britannia...I'll be back in a few days!" Called a now fully grown Merlin.

"Ahhh I do not like that!...you might just be a human yourself but-" chandler began...

He had a very bad habit of nagging like this...

Meliodas, who was the one Merlin had called to, came out of his office and stood at the door opening.

He too was annoyed by this, but Merlin always had a fun way to make Chandler shut up.

"Bye" Merlin finally said and with a snap of her fingers Chandler was gone.

"Pfftt-" Meliodas held back laughter.

"YOU CAN'T JUST TELEPORT YOUR PROBLEMS AWAY MERLIN!" Zeldris shouted from further down the hall where he had been talking with Cusack.

"Where'd you even send him?" Meliodas asked curiously.

"The tyrants dragons nest"

"But it's hatching season, their especially territorial right now.."

"Exacly. Anyways I was on my way to Britannia"

"I feel like you've been going more often than not lately...found something you'd like to tell me about...or someone?" Meliodas asked the last part with a smirk, the curiosity was genuine though.

"I-" Merlin started, then she sighed before continuing. "I've been making relations with the different clans..tried to clear up some rumors about demons. Of course I've never told anyone I'm actually living with a bunch of them"

"Why though? You're not an ambassador" Meliodas said furrowing his brows.

It wasn't that he was angry with Merlin, he just didn't understand.

in all the 317 years he had known her she hadn't cared about what anyone else thought.

'What is she up to?' Meliodas thought to himself.

"See you" Merlin said, obviously done with the conversation.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**Merlin's POV-**

I walked through the gate to the world above this realm.

The world above being that of Britannia, a realm that many clans had made into their home, just some of these clans being humans, fairies and giants.

I had made relations in quite a few places already, Camelot being my most usual travel destination.

Many years ago I decided to foster a small child named Arthur, his current foster family had been abusive, especially his older brother Kay, so I decided to step in.

This wasn't a secret however.

Arthur had lived in the demon realm with me for years, but now he had taken the mantle as king of Camelot, so that's where he resided now.

Arthur being king had been quite helpful in ways I hadn't thought it would.

As an official leader he was to make relations with other kingdoms.

That had intrigued me so I had often tagged along when he visited other places, the place I was most intrigued by was the kingdom of Liones, places where the olden fairy kings Forest was before it was burned down during the great holy war 300 years ago.

But due to the fact that it was there in the first place, Liones's land was especially prosperous when it came to farming, which was probably why they were able to rise up as quickly as they did, now holding the mantle as the greatest kingdom of Britannia.

"Merlin!" Someone called putting to me, when I looked up I could see that it was Arthur.

He quickly dismounted his horse, Hevere was it's name.

"Arthur..how kind of you to come and greet me. I was just on my way to Camelot" I told him was a small smile.

He didn't smile, so I quickly knew something was wrong.

"Yeah well I wanted to see you quickly, something's..happened"

"Oh?" I said, waiting for him to continue.

"In the little time you've been away-" which has only been 2 weeks. "-the king of Liones succumbed to his illness. He's dead"

"What a shame"

"Merlin!" Arthur said, a little irritated by my bluntness.

"Well it is. He has three daughters does he not?

"Yeah...Margaret, Veronica and Elizabeth"

Elizabeth...no matter how many years would pass, that name held a special place in the heart of many, especially Mins and Meliodas's

"The heir?" I asked, the heir is mostly the eldest, unless the younger would be a man.

"The youngest, Elizabeth"

Oh.

"Why would the heir to Liones be the youngest of his daughters"

"Elizabeth is the best fit I suppose...she loves the people of the kingdom, is well spoken, strong, and brave"

"Strong and brave? A princess" my view of princesses was...well...stereotypical.

"I've been told she's actually fit to be a knight. Why she would train like that when she's a princess, i dont know. Maybe she's just a tomboy? I don't really know her that well, Y'know" Arthur said and started walking back to Hevere.

"I'm going there right now Y'know"

"You are? Where's the knights accompanying you?" I asked with a smug look on my face.

Despite being king, Arthur's first years of life were poor, and even after spending the rest of his life as the "nephew" of the demon king he still wasn't that fond of formalities.

"Taking...coffee break?" He tried...

"Hm!" I hummed and flicked the back of his head.

"I suppose I'll just have to go with you then, it would be too bad if you'd have to go all the way back to Camelot and pick your knights after all..."

"Yeah that sounds great to me!" Arthur said, having finally mounted Hevere.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Huh? Taking off, we'll have to get going now if we want to get there before sunse- Huh?"

Arthur was a little dense once in a while.

Before he could even finish his explanation I snapped my fingers and teleported us to Liones's gates.

"Oh"

"Honestly" I muttered and shook my head with a find smile upon my lips.

"Who goes there?" A knight of Liones called from the top of the wall surrounding the kingdom.

"I am Arthur Pendragon, and this is my mentor, we have come here to mourn the death of your king, Bartra Liones. He was a dear friend you see" Arthur called out, his voice laced with confidence and authority.

"..."

It was silent for a few moments before the gates started to open with a mighty creak.

When they were completely opened we walked through and was greeted by the knight I would assume is the one who called out to us.

"We're extremely grateful King Arthur" the knight said, his voice wavering, it was obvious he was crying.

No wonder... humans are so fragile...

"Don't think about it..just hang in there" Arthur said warmly and put his hand on the knights shoulder.

And so we continued on our way to the castle.

"Have you met the princess Elizabeth's before Arthur?" I asked still looking straight ahead to the almost completely deserted road. Everyone must be in their homes mourning.

"I have a few times, we didn't get the chance to talk much though" I explained.

I could tell by his voice that he was saddened.

The meeting with the knight must've set it in perspective that king Bartra truly was gone.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**Third person POV-**

Getting access to the castle had been easier than They first thought, to be honest they had worried that the princesses wasn't ready for visit.

"We are very grateful for your visit at this time Arthur" said a women with with slightly wavy waist-length indigo hair that is split on both sides and warn brown eyes.

"I don't believe we've met. My name is Margaret Liones" she said and extended her hand for Merlin to shake, which she did.

'Margaret, so she's the oldest' Merlin thought to herself.

"My condolences" Merlin simply told her.

"Thank you" Margaret answered, and wiped her tears away with a handkerchief.

"Now, I'm sure Veronica and Elizabeth would also like to know that you've come to visit, I'll lead you to them"

"Oh, I don't want to be a burden to you at a time like this" Arthur quickly said, afraid he'd intrude.

"Oh no, you're not a burden. We'd much rather spent this time surrounded by friends than all by ourselves" Margaret said with a kind smile and proceeded to lead them down a long hallway.

'I wonder what the other princesses are like..' Merlin thought.

Before they knew it we were at a big double door.

When Margaret opened the doors They could see that they led to a lounge.

Two girls sat on a couch, Who Merlin could only assume it were the princesses, the first one that caught Merlin's eye had a tomboyish appearance, short light violet hair and a slim build, and eyes matching her elder sister's.

The other-

Merlin gasped as soon as she truly focused on her.

She had enough control of myself to simply not burst out and shout:

'Elizabeth?!'


	3. Chapter 2

**-In the demon realm-**

**Meliodas's POV-**

I tapped my pencil on the hard mahogany desk, I was surrounded by paperwork I didn't really wanted to do, but if I didn't Zeldris would just yell at me.

I swear...sometimes he acts more like the big brother than me.

Though I suppose I do need someone to keel me in check.

I averted my gaze from my pencil to the corner of the desk where I had a framed sketch of Elizabeth and I together.

I smiled fondly at the memory.

It had been human festival she had wanted to go to.

It was before I really understood that I loved her so she had to drag me around all the time...that festival included.

At one point she found a booth where you could get a sketch portrait for 10 silver coins.

She got two...

Those days seem to long ago now... 300 years ago to be precise...

I sighed deeply and laid my head on the table..."I'm not fit for this shit" I mumbled.

"Too bad"

I lifted up my head and was met with the judgmental from my younger brother.

"But Merlin gets to go to Britannia and have fun..." I said and pouted, not a fit look for a king, I know, but I don't care.

"Well she's not the king is she?" He says and folded his arms across his chest.

"Now get on with it!"

"..."

"..."

"I'll do it tomorrow!" I said and before he could say anything I was up and out the window behind me.

As I was falling I could hear him angrily call my name.

I landed on the ground and created a small crater.

"I'll fix that later" I said and started running towards the towns square.

It's been too long since I've just walked amongst people, without parades, and not because I HAD to.

Right now I just wanted to.

I loved this place after all, there's so much life, so many interesting things.

'It reminds me of the festivals Elizabeth would drag me to' to though yo myself with a fond smile.

Imagining her by my side, walking through town with me...ruling with me?

Would she have wanted that I wonder?

Or would I have ended up giving the mantle of king to Zeldris and ruling the goddesses with her instead? I wonder...

I shook my head, snapping out of it.

'This isn't good for my mentality..' I reminded myself.

'Elizabeth is dead' I kept on reminding myself...

"My oh my... look who we got here" I heard an all too familiar voice.

I sighed and turned around to meet the eyes of rtf guy that I really hate.

It's no problem though...he hates me like 5 five as much.

"Bellion, his nice to see you here" I said through gritted teeth.

I had to keep up my composure in the public.

"Why wouldn't I be here? I'm not the king, I'm just a lowly commoner...so I belong on the streets? Isn't that what you think? High an mighty king Meliodas?" He said angrily.

Seriously, this guy...

First he hates me for not choosing him to be part of the Ten Commandments, that's how all this hatred between us began.

But I now that nowadays he's mad about not being part of my court...

"I don't think I've ever said such a thing.." said innocently and stroked my chin as if I had a beard.

I just didn't want to start a fight out here.

"Oh no...but I know people...real scum. Like you"

"I'd hope so...everyone's gotta do self reflection once in a while, right?"

I wasn't agreeing to me being I scum. I was simply pointing out that that is what he was.

"Why you-"

"Alright children that's enough"

Children? Oh!

"Gowther!"**_ (A/N -The demon Gowther)_** I said excitedly.

It was Gowther! He's been my best friend for the majority of my life, but he lives in Britannia now so we don't get to see each other very often.

Gowther's the kind of guy that even Bellion fears, because he can touch you with his pinkie and make you blow up!...okay I dont actually know if he can do that, but he's a crazy strong wizard so he's got all kinds of curses at his disposal.

...which I actually do too since I'm the demon king...huh...wonder why people aren't afraid of me in the same way...

"I come here to visit a friend and find him in this situation...in towns square" he said gesturing to us.

"Honestly Mel..." He said and scratched his chin...

"And you!" He started pointing to Bellion "show your king some respect. It's no wonder I didn't choose you to be part of his court with an attitude like that!" He said, putting Bellion in his place for the time being.

"Tch" Bellion simply said and turned on his heel to walk away.

I stared angrily after him for a while before turning to Gowther with a happy expression.

"I didn't know you were visiting!"

"I thought you were the one to say I didn't need to give word when I come to visit"

"I did, I did"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**-In Liones-**

**Merlin's POV-**

"So how old are you Elizabeth" I asked curiously, I had a feeling deep in my gut that there were more to this than meets the eye.

" oh, I'm 21..." Elizabeth answered.

"And you're your fathers heir are you not?"

"Yes, that's right?" Elizabeth said quietly, probably saddened by the mention of her father.

"I don't mean to be rude by asking this if course, I simply want to further my understanding of this kingdom and their politic"

"That's understandable, you're welcome to ask all the questions you'd like" Elizabeth said with a smile mirroring that of the goddess Elizabeth.

"Thank you...I feel a bit lightheaded, may I go out on the balcony to take in some fresh air?" I asked, needed just a few moments alone to process this new discovery.

"Yes certainly" Margaret answered and gestured towards a class door leading to a balcony.

"Thank you" I said and walked out.

Will I tell Meliodas about this?

Or should I not, after all I don't have any real proof of anything.

I have to get a bit closer to truly see if it's what I think it is.

I looked back over my shoulder to look at Elizabeth through the glass door.

Could she really be sis's reincarnation?


	4. Chapter 3

**—1 week later —**

**Merlin's POV-**

Arthur and I had stayed longer in Liones than we'd first planned, but upon my request we had been granted permission to stay longer.

But now came the time when we'd have to journey home.

Arthur to Camelot, and I to the demon realm.

I looked forward to trapping Meliodas in this net.

My suspicions were as good as confirmed.

Personality, looks, voice, right down to the way she moves her hands when she explains about something she's exited about.

This was Elizabeth...our Elizabeth.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"Welcome home Merlin..." Meliodas says tiredly. "You've been gone for quite a while...why?" He continued and leaned his head on hand.

It was then that I noticed Gowther in the corner pouring himself a cup of tea.

"Oh Gowther, it's been a while seen I've seen you around these parts" I greeted him and ignored meliodas whine to stop ignoring him.

Gowther was my Master, he's tough me a great deal of the spells I go around using.

You could say he's sort of a father figure.

"Yes it's been a while, I see your fashion sense hasn't changed" he chuckled and sipped his tea.

I glanced down at myself, just as always my outfit was revealing to say the least.

"Some things never change Gowther"

"You don't say"

"Gowther...can you kindly ask Merlin where's she's been for this past week. Because she doesn't listen when I ask her..." Meliodas said with his head in his hands.

"Sure, Merlin where have you been?"

"I went With Arthur to the kingdom of Liones, they've just recently lost their king to a nasty illness, so I got a look at the future queen"

"Oh, Liones. It's such a prosperous kingdom, I sure hope this future queen can keep up" Gowther said.

I had a feeling he'd know what I was talking about, he lives in Britannia after all..

"I'm sure she will. On that note..Meliodas?" I said to get his attention.

When I saw that I had his attention I continued.

"There's a political meet up in Liones everyone other year... I think you should go to the next one" I said and put a hand on my hip.

"Why do you think that?"

"It's been 300 years...the demon clan is one of the big 5 clans, we need to become active again"

"Why? I think it's fine this way..."

"of course you do, but this is for the welfare of your people, not just now but for the future as well"

"And if I do decide to go...you've said so yourself, the other clans still hate us...they just tolerate us as it is now"

"But I think that's why Merlin has such a good point" Gowther piped in. "If you do go to this political meet up, and keep on making good impressions, then that could change the way the world views us. You're the king after all, no one represents the demons more than you do"

Meliodas groaned and I could tell he saw that the point was very valid.

"I can't just show up unexpected..." he told us, which practically meant 'fine you've convinced me to go'

"...have you heard of letters?" Gowther asked sarcastically.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**-1 month later-**

**Meliodas's POV-**

It had been 1 month since I sent my letter to the newly crowned queen of Liones, offering to come visit to make a treaty with her kingdom.

From the information Merlin's given me the meeting will be in about 8 months, which is a very short time for demons as we don't process time the same way as humans due to our much longer lifespan.

"Are you gonna open it?" Merlin asked.

I was currently holding the letter sent from the queen of Liones who's name I had learned to be Elizabeth.

Truly a punch to the gut.

This letter could be my invitation to this meeting, aka a invitation to a new life.

Or it could be a declaration of war.

Probably not...but I guess I'll just have to see.

I grabbed the paper knife laying at the edge of the table and cut the concealed letter open.

"Pulling it ouuuutt~" I narrated.

"Unfoldiiiinng iiiit~ ...readinnnng iitt~" I kept on narrating.

The lump in my throat only grew as I took in every word.

Why am I so nervous?

I did t even wanna do this to begin with.

And then I read it.

"Hmm" I hummed and put the letter down.

I then madd eye contact with Merlin, and from the look in her eyes she already knew what the letter said.

"We made it" I told her calmly.

"Your mood can certainly change quickly can't it?" She says sarcastically.

"Okay first of all: we've known each other for over 300 years so I refuse to believe you only just noticed that.

Second of all: you're gonna focus on that and not on the fact that we're actually invited to Liones?" I said raising a finger while talking.

"Of course we're invited"

"Why you're so confident is beyond me..." I told her with a dry chuckle.

She's always been like this.

"Start believing and you're already halfway there" she tons me and then swiftly left the room.

"Suuuureee" I says even though she has already left.

I then got up myself to go look for zeldris.

If I'm going to be gone for...who knows how long I need him to be the acting king in that time, just to be sure.

I looked down corridors, in his own personal office, even in the gardens...where in the world could he be at this time of day?

I shrugged, thinking of who might know.

A few swings to the right, one to the left, and so I stood in front of the room where they should be.

"Ishide? Lilinda? You in here?" I said poking my head into the room where 2 small girls were having a lecture.

They're still only toddlers but since they're princesses they do need the proper education.

"Unwle!" "Umwle Mel" they both exclaimed running into my open arms.

Ishide and Lisilda are Zeldris's and Gelda's twin girls.

My adorable nieces.

Both girls looked mostly like their mother, Gelda, as they shared her blonde hair and most facial features.

Lisilda however did have black edges in her hair.

As for for their eyes, they were emerald green, just and mine and Zeldris's.

"Meliodas, we are in the middle of a lecture" Cusack, their teacher, complained.

He still hadn't gotten around to calling me "lord" or "sire". Not because we were close, he just didn't like that I was king and Zeldris wasn't.

"Sorry sorry I'll leave in a minute. I just need to know if any of you three know where zeldris is. Huh? Know where daddy is?" I asked, first to Cusack using my usual voice, but the. I focused on the girls switching my voice to be more babyish.

"Daddy's oub Witt mommy" Ishide said, still not able to get the words just right.

"Out with mommy. Got it. But whereeee?"

"The relm up dere" she said and pointed to the ceiling.

"Am I Right to assume she means Britannia?" I whispered to Cusack who just nodded.

He really wanted me to leave.

"MmHmmm, that makes it a bit tougher but thank you giiirlsss" I saydcand kissed both their foreheads.

"Gotta run now, be good to Cusack got it?"

"Okay umcle Mel"

"we pwomice!"

And so I was off to...my office again.

Seriously Zeldris...a date? Now?

Even if I wanted to speak to him I had the decency to not interrupt a date between him and Gelda.

"Gotta wait till he gets home I guess" I mumbled to myself.


	5. Chapter 4

**-8 months later-**

_(Sorry I know I do too many time skips)_

**Meliodas's POV-**

We were getting ready to leave to Britannia. No...to the kingdom of Liones.

Back in the day when I was just appointed king, I hated it, after all I never wished to be king, so I often snuck away from my duties to go hang out in small human villages where they often times thought I was a weirdo traveler.

But it had been a while since then.

I went over to the mirror standing against the wall to look myself over.

Had to look presentable after all.

I wore a royal red jacket with golden outlines. My pants were black.

My demon mark stood out on my forehead, as the royal symbol.

On my back was the darkness that we demons control freely, later out as a cape..

My dark crown nestled in my hair was also made of this darkness.

"Do I look too menacing?" I whispered to myself, momentarily distinguished the darkness...

"nah this looks better" I said and turned it on again.

I could always just distinguish it if I can see that they're unnerved by it.

"Are you ready?" Merlin asked from the corner of my room.

...did she sneak in here?

Because I certainly didn't let her in.

I simply gave Merlin a unimpressed look and nooded, then quietly fixed a button on my outfit.

"Good, the others said they'd see us off at the palace gates, don't be late will you?" She says and left the room using teleportation, guess that's his she got in here in the first place.

I grabbed the sack that stored all the belongings I was bringing along and swung it over my shoulder.

There wasn't much in there, mostly just necessities, and a sketchbook.

I then eyed the sword meaning against the wall, debating wether or not I should take it.

Who knew...maybe the other races would be hostile.

At the end of my inner debate I shook my head and walked out, without the sword.

Even if we should get attacked I could manage without it.

All I need is a stick to do full counter, and my darkness is a powerful weapon in itself.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"This is scandalous, there's no reason for this.." Chandler whined, he didn't particularly like the other races, so no wonder he wouldn't want me to build a relationship with them after all these years.

"Scandalous you say? Is it scandalous to secure the future of the next generation? Is it scandalous to be aided should we need it? Or perhaps, is it scandalous that I, the king, should want to act on this?" I ask him firmly, making him shrink under my harsh tone and piercing glare.

"No master. Please forgive me" he apologized and bowed slightly before stepping back, making room for the others to say their farewells.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you instead of Merlin?" Zeldris was the first to speak up.

"What? Afraid I can't do the job?" Merlin said with a smug look on her face.

"I am your official royal advisor after all" Zeldris continued, ignoring Merlin.

"Well I kinda need you to stay here and be the acting king, since I'd rather leave that to you than Merlin" I said chuckling at the though of Merlin ruling the realm.

She would make everyone and everything her personal guinea pig in less than 5 hours.

"...yeah...good point" Zeldris said hesitantly, and swallowed a lump than had seemingly just grown in his throat, probably from the though of Merlin ruling.

"On another note, good luck with it all, we'll be crossing our fingers" Gelda told me kindly.

"Yeah we will" Lilinda cheered, and she was quickly followed by Ishide.

"We'll even cross our toes!" Ishide proclaimed happily.

I went over and lightly patted both of their heads.

"Thanks girls, I'm sure it'll do me good"

"Yay!"

"Yayy!"

"I'll be going now, take care" I said and waved slowly walking backwards towards Merlin who stood a bit farther away, probably just wanting to get going.

They all waved goodbye in return, and so I turned around walking with big steps.

I was actually getting a bit exited to go.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"Haaaaahhhh" I said taking a deep breath of the fresh air.

It's been way too long since I left the demon realm, why did I ever stop going here? I don't know.

"Ha..how long has it been? 50..60 years?" Merlin asked with a little breathy laugh at the start.

"79 years actually" I told her and started walking.

79 years is still a relatively short time for a demon such as me, but not short enough to not miss this place.

"Liones is that way" Merlin then stated and pointed to a different direction than the one I was walking in.

"You don't sayyy" I said bad turned around on my heels to walk in the right direction, causing Merlin to shake her head and fold her arms humorously.

But then Merlin snapped with her fingers and I felt a tug on my body, and so we were standing not too far from what I would assume was Liones's capital city.

"Awh..but I wanted to enjoy the scenery on the way here" I pouted.

"Maybe the queen can show it to you"

"...why are you so smug about it? And I don't really think the queen would have time for that" I told her, a bit suspicious.

My friends and family had tried to pair me up with someone more than once, hoping that I could be happy again, like I was when Elizabeth was alive.

I swear if this is another of those attempts...

"Hm" she hummed and out in one of those smiles she wore when she was experimenting.

Haha...I'm in danger.

We then walked to the Gates in silence.

"State your name and errand" someone behind the gates called.

"I am king Meliodas, I have been invited here by the queen herself" I told whoever was on the other side.

A few moments passed but then the gates opened up, and I saw that the man who's called out to us was apparently a holy knight of Liones.

Despite not being able to see his face due to his helmet I could see that he was averting his gaze from us.

Is he scared of us?

"Welcome to the capital, and welcome back to you lady Merlin" the knight mumbled and bowed slightly.

"I'll handle it from here Bellacan" another voice said, apparently referring to the scared knight.

I turned around and met the eyes of another knight, he wore a set of full-body armor which was covered by a robe.

He had short white light-colored hair and a goatee. The signs pointed to him being a Druid.

"I am Hendrickson, the grand master of this magnificent kingdom. I've been asked by the queen to escort you to the palace" a said calmly and smiled.

"Oh, it's my an honor to meet the grand master" I says politely.

Even though I knew he was weaker than me and probably the majority of my people, I knew he was strong fir a human.

"Oh no, I should be the one honored by your presence" he chuckled.

"Now I'm sure you're tired after your journey here, so let me escort you to the palace so that you can rest before the festivities tomorrow" he says and began leading the way through the town.

"Festivities?" I asked slightly confused.

Indeed I did see banners hanging around, and a few booths stood ready for use.

"Yes, did the kingdom of Liones this time brings great joy, and so a few traditional began sprouting.

There will be a festival in town, the castle's gate will open on certain hours, and so all the queens guests will attend a banquet later on" he explained fondly.

"Banquet huh? Been a while since I've been to one of those" I mumbled and put my hands behind my head, falling into step with Hendrickson.

We reached the castle rather fast, where Hendrickson then explained who I was to the guard who then let us in.

"I know you must be tired, but queen Elizabeth has asked for you to meet at the gardens" Hendrickson said a bit nervously.

"Oh sure thing, Merlin actually teleported ya so we're not that tired"

"Speak for yourself" Merlin then quipped in.

Oh right. It was a long distance so she was probably tired.

"Y'know you can go rest Merlin, I'll just meet the queen alone" I told her and patted her back.

At first she looked a bit hesitant, but then she sighed and nodded.

"Alrighty..hmmm...Lunn!" Hendrickson called to a knight standing not too far away.

There were knights around every corner of the palace, but that's only right, with so many different races and kingdoms meeting.

"Yes sir!" The knight Lunn ran over a saluted to Hendrickson.

"Will you please follow lady Merlin to her quarters in the east wing?"

"Yes sir! Right this way lady Merlin" he said tensely and started following Merlin down another hallway, but not before glancing at me with a look filled with curiosity, and maybe a tint of fear?

Well I am from the vile demon race after all.

"Now, the gardens is right this way. I hope you don't mind lavender's because the garden is filled with those" Hendrickson laughed, and so I did too.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"These doors lead to the garden, and so, I will take my leave" Hendrickson said when we came to two tainted glass doors.

"Alrighty, thanks Hendrickson, I hope I'll get to see you again" I says, already liking him very much.

He was very casual, in his own way.

"Likewise" he says and bowed with a smile.

And so I went through the tainted glass doors.

Wow...he wasn't kidding there really are a lot of lavenders.

Taking a glance over the entirety of the garden I spotted the back of the head of who I'd assume was the queen.

She sat in a very relaxed posture, probably enjoying the nice breeze that really brought on the scent of the flowers.

"M'lady" I greeted, walking closer, but still staying behind her.

"Oh, how rude of me! I didn't even notice you, you must be lord Meliodas, right?" She said and turned around.

Her voice...those eyes, the hair, the smile.

No

"E..liza...Beth?"


	6. Chapter 5

**Third person POV-**

"E..liza...Beth?" Meliodas stammered.

His hearts were pounding loud enough that he was scared she'd hear.

'How? How can she-' he found himself thinking but quickly stopped.

'This is only a cruel coincidence' he tried to tell himself...but something deep within him told him otherwise.

"That's me" Elizabeth giggled, not having a clue of the inner battle the man before her was fighting.

'Merlin...she must've known' Meliodas though angrily.

"I'm sorry for asking you to come here, it's just because...well you're the very first demon I've ever met. I guess I was just a bit curious" she says a tiny bit embarrassed.

She really hadn't expected the king of the demons to be a short blonde boy.

He didn't look like her sister Veronica had told her demons looked when she was a child.

"Oh uh, I see...no wonder, we demons kinda retracted into the demon realm after the War" Meliodas said trying his upmost to act normal.

It was just too much...

He really needed to punch something, and then go into his room and have a panic attack..

"How is the demon realm like?" Elizabeth said, overly curious, she didn't even notice how eager she was getting herself.

"Hmmm, red...the ground is red and there didn't grow many plants" he started explaining solemnly, but then a smile crept onto his face..."but in recent years it's gotten better, it's still not like Britannia at all, but you can find fields of black and purple flowers that'll only grow in the demon realm. In the demon realm it's always night too, but it's not like a scary night...the sky is beautiful...I'll admit it's not perfect, but it's home"

"It doesn't have to be perfect to be amazing" Elizabeth said with a kind smile.

She enjoyed his interpretation of his home.

If at all possible she'd like to see it one day.

"That's a good way to see things" Meliodas nodded.

"I think I want to get to know you a little better, so...do you wanna take a walk with me?" Elizabeth asked shyly.

She was already good friends with some of the if the other guests, such as the fairy king, the giant queen, and the king of Castellio.

"Oh yeah..I'd like that" meliodas smiled.

He was loosing his inner battle, not being able to see her as anybody other than his Elizabeth.

He knew it was wrong, but seriously, how could he not?

From what he'd observed till now they were identical, in looks and personality.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"My older sisters Veronica would always tell me horror stories about the demon clan, about these creatures as big as mountains, and others with teeth sharp enough to bite you in half like you were a twig" Elizabeth told Meliodas, after all now that she'd met him she believed that was just false rumors.

"Oh yeah we've got those"

"Huh?!"

"The lower demons are like that, well not Exactly as big as mountains, I think that's a reference to albions, giant Gollums that the demon clan weaponized during the war.

We don't make them anymore"

"Wow...when I saw you I thought fur sure those stories were untrue"

"Nah..heh...pretty much everyone of those stories are true. The demon clan was horrible back in the day...that was back when my father was still alive" meliodas said sadly.

"Oh! I'm so sorry for your loss" Elizabeth gave her condolences, thinking he was saddened by his fathers death"

"Huh? On no no no! My dad was horrible man, that's why I killed him" Meliodas said and grinned, as if it was the most normal thing to say.

"O-oh" Elizabeth sweat dropped, she wasn't scared by it, just overly confused, and a bit concerned.

"M'lady, if I may ask, why were you named queen? You're the youngest of your siblings after all...or has that tradition died during the 79 years I've been gone?"

"Oh please just call me elizabeth, and it's quite alright.

In fact I'm still a little perplexed by it myself, I never saw myself becoming queen...but my father said that I was the only one with the power to do it..what exactly that means, I'm not sure. He wouldn't tell me"

"Perplexing, but thank lord! If that sister you've been mentioning, Veronica I think, had been named queen she probably wouldn't have let me come here"

"Oh she definitely wouldn't" Elizabeth laughed, but decided not to mention how angry Veronica had been when she found out her sweet sister Ellie had invited the demon king to the palace.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**Elizabeth POV-**

It was hard to explain, but it was so easy to talk to lord Meliodas.

I hadn't ever been this relaxed with someone I just met before.

I also got this strange sense of deja vu, but that's probably just my mind playing tricks on me.

"Tell me lord Meliodas, do you have any siblings?" I asked staying on the subject.

"Yeah I've got a younger brother named Zeldris, he's emo but I love him" he said fondly.

It was easy to tell by the look on his face that he truly did love his brother.

"What's the age gap between you two?"

"133 years"

Oh right, forgot how long demons life spans are for a second.

"That'd make you?..." I tried figuring out his age, not realizing that may be rude.

"641 years"

"What does that amount to in human years?"

"It depends who you are, some demons live longer than other, but because I'm the demon king my lifespan is significantly longer, so I think I'm supposed to be...in my early twenties?" He said a bit unsure on the subject, but then his face suddenly turned playful.

"Now that we've cleared that mountain, may I ask your age?"

It finally fought up to me how rude I'd been to ask question like that, and I grew incredibly flustered.

"I-Im so s-Sorry! I didn't..I didn't mean t-to b-be rude!"

"Hey hey calm down it's fine" he said while chuckling, seemingly due to my reaction.

"O-oh, okay..." I cleared my voice. "To answer your question, I'm 22"

"Hey that means we're about the same age" he says and grinned.

That's a funny coincidence.

"Y-yes I suppose we are"

"You're still stuttering? No need to keep on being embarrassed.

I blushed profusely.

He read me like an open book...

"Sorry" I whispered my apology.

It had been a while since I'd been like since, after all ever since becoming queen I couldn't act weak, but somehow he made me forget that.

"No no no don't apologize" he says and rubbed my back, but then he suddenly stiffened and retracted his hand.

"Anyway it's about to be late, I really enjoyed this, but I'll have to retract to my quarters" he says and yawned.

"Oh yes, of course. Do you no where it is?"

"I have no clue"

I giggled at his bluntness.

"Well then let me show you"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

I had shown lord Meliodas the way to his quarters and Kai told him where last Merlin was staying, which was in the room next to him.

It's weird, when I told him that he glared at the door leading to her room.

We're they angry at each other?

Now I was on my way to my own room to rest a bit before dinner time.

"Psst! Ellie!"

Shocked I turned my head from where the voice had come from.

There hidden hidden behind a big curtain stood my big sister Veronica.

"Veronica! What are you doing?" I asked, more than a little confused as to why she would be sneaking around her own home.

Unless...

...oh no

"You were spying on us weren't you Veronica?!" I half whined, half scolded.

"Well someone's gotta look out for you!" She shot back.

She's always thought that was her job.

"There's guards everywhere, besides nothing would've happened, lord Meliodas seems nice" I said and gripped onto my dress.

Why did she always have to do this?

I'm an adult, and I'm trained in the ways of a knight!

I can take care of myself!

"That's probably just what he wants you to believe!" She said, Veronica hater the demons, but never really understood why.

"Please...lower your voice" I begged, getting embarrassed when I saw a guard nearby give us a side glance.

Veronica noticed my embarrassment as let out a over exaggerated sigh.

"Right. Sorry"

We remained silent for a while and I hoped that that meant that the conversation was over.

But when Veronica's face once again grew stern, and she then opened her mouth I excused myself and ran away to my room, ignoring Veronica calling my name.

If she, my own sister, doesn't place her trust in me as a queen...then who does?

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**Meliodas's POV-**

When Elizabeth led my to my room we parted, I went inside and she walked away to do something else.

But instead of going in to asses my new quarters I stood with my ear against the door waiting for her to be gone so I could go have a much needed chat with Merlin.

But then I heard yelling, and the name Veronica was used multiple times.

Was she having an argument with her big sister.

I pressed closer to the door, flattening my cheek completely.

It didn't change anything, their voices was still muffled so I couldn't quite make out what they were arguing about.

Suddenly it grew quiet before I then heard running footsteps, and Veronica yelling after Elizabeth, who I could only imagine had run away from the uncomfortable situation she'd been caught in.

Waiting a few more minutes i slowly opened the door.

"Good evening" a stern voice, belonging to a violet haired, tomboyish girl with brown eyes.

"Good evening, can I help you?..." I says, trailing off, fishing for her name.

"The name's Veronica. Veronica Liones"

She's Veronica?!

The princess?!

Elizabeth's big sister?!

She doesn't look like a princess

"What are you staring at creep!" She shouted.

I then realized I must've stared one second too long.

"Forgive me M'lady, I was just caught off guard. I didn't expect you to come see me after all"

"Well here I am so deal with it!"

Wow she really doesn't like me.

"My sister stood up for you...why?" She then asked, suddenly a lot quieter.

Suddenly that inner battle started up again.

I didn't know if I should be giddy about that or...or something else..

"Honestly I can't say, I don't posses the ability to read minds" I says, my mind going out to my friend Gowther, who could indeed read minds.

"That's not what I was talking about! Did you threaten her to get invited?! Do you have her under some kind of mind control?!"

Wow...just wow...

Her sister stands up for a demon and this is where her thoughts immediately go?

"I didn't do either of those things M'lady, I can assure you, that whatever the queen has says has been by her own free will" I said and mustered up the kindest smile I could in this difficult situation.

"Hmmm" Veronica grumbled.

I don't think she can come up with anymore accusations on tube spot.

"Why are Huh going out of your room?" She asked. Luckily for me it didn't sound as harsh as the other accusations.

"I was going to the room of my advisor...well my acing advisor.."

"Where's your official advisor?"

"At home, he's my brother so he's taking care of the realm for me"

Apparently my answer was acceptable, because she finally stepped back, fully allowing my to go out on the hallway so I could go to Merlin's room.

"I'll warm you though. If you make just one wrong move, I won't hesitate..." she trailed off, allowing my imagination to do the work.

"I'll keep that in mind. Have a great day" I said with a grin that seemingly shocked her.

I whistled a bit as I knocked on Merlin's door, and when it opened on its one by the use of magic I waved to Veronica and went inside.


	7. Chapter 6

**Meliodas's POV- **

Going inside I then closed the doors behind my, not turning around.

My grin quickly turned to a glare directed at the woman sitting by a wooden desk twirling a feather pen around in her hand.

"Do you realize how angry I am with you?" I asked Merlin my voice under control since I didn't now if Veronica had left yet.

"I've got an idea of it, yes" she said, still not turning to me.

"What do you know?...how is this possible"

"What else..?" She said, finally turning to me.

Did she expect me to figure this out myself?!

Nuh-uh! No way!

My frown deepened and I felt the demon mark on my face grow ever slightly.

"Ugh fine...the answer is obviously reincarnation" she says rolling her eyes.

In a split second every ounce of strength I had in my body left, my eyes turned back to green, my demon mark disappeared and so did my cloak made of darkness, I nearly even stumbled to the ground.

So...in a sense... she was my Elizabeth...

My eyes watered, but I refused to cry...I hated crying...

"How did-"

Merlin quickly cut me off, apparently knowing what I was gonna ask.

"I don't know...it could be anything truly...A second chance gifted by the goddesses? or a coincidence?"

"Not the first one...no way... if my father hadn't killed her back then I'm sure the supreme deity would've..." I said, shocking myself by how I was suddenly able to speak so openly about the subject.

That day is something I'd rather not speak about most of the time, and when I do let something slip it's very very very minor.

"The arch-angels have the power to grant reincarnation...Mael perhaps? He was in love with her you k-"

"Yes I know! He never failed to mention that after her death, and that I was the reason she died! How she would've been better off being with him!" I said, going on a mini rant.

"Calm your breathing...In, count to 5..hold...and then out" she said.

I started regulating my breathing just as she instructed, and it quickly helped.

"I know, Mael can be a jackass, but he can also be a sir Pringle kind, and good man. A guy who'd do this" she still stood up for her theory, and she was right, it was likely that is exacly what happened.

But she misunderstood...this wasn't some kind of experiment, or a grand puzzle...none of this mattered.

All that mattered was that Elizabeth had in some way found her way back into our life's.

"Listen, everyone here will officially meet tonight...I know this is big, and I'm not telling you to avoid her, but keep yourself focused. We don't Exactly want to draw too much attention" she reminded me, and as an answer I nodded

I was about to go around to leave.

"Wait we aren't done here!" I shouted, remembering my anger.

"Why didn't you tell me!?"

"Oh well, I suppose it was too much to wish for that you'd just let sleeping dragons lay" she sighed.

Her and her philosophy...

"You and I both know that you wouldn't have come here if you knew...you love her to bits, and that's why you'd rather not be a part of her life anymore...Dud Mael's words really get to you that much?"

"You only really love her if you let her go...I read that in a book once...I think the same thing adds up in this kind of situation..." I simply told her.

This wasn't a subject I liked to discuss, because while part of me, my heart, wanted to hug, kiss and tell Elizabeth how much I loved her and how She'd better not leave me again, the more logical part of me said that she'd only get killed again if she stayed by my side.

That's why she died in the first place after all.

Just as Mael said...if only she hadn't fallen for me...then she could've lived out her life...she could've been happy.

"No, if she hadn't Met, and fallen in love with you...then she would've never found TRUE happiness" Merlin told me, matter if factly, and I realized I had actually talked out loud.

I didn't know if I agreed with her, but there was great reasoning behind her words.

"..."

"..."

It grew quiet fur a while and I decided to take the opportunity to change the subject, as this one hurt too much to further discuss.

It was something I had to think more about in my alone time.

"So...who else is here? What races? What kingdoms?"

"I'm glad you asked because I took the liberty to ask the knight escorting me here"

I simply nodded and waited for her to continue.

"Among the guests are: the second fairy king, Harlequin.

The queen of giants, Diane.

The king of Castellio, Escanor.

A representative for the beast men, Ban.

And our very own Arthur Pendragon, king of Camelot.

These are all the highest ranking guests. There are a few uninteresting people from kingdoms such as Danafol Ishtar, and such" she finished her list.

Certainly interesting, the second leaders of the fairy and giant race.

Looking forward to meeting them, as I was good friends with their predecessors who met a far too early end.

Never heard of a kingdom named Castellio, or Danafol though.

"Arthur's here huh, haven't seen him since last summer" I says cheerfully.

Arthur sometimes spends a few holidays in the demon realm.

He tells his people that it's for training, but we normally just hang out, catch up and have fun.

"I'm sure he looks forward to seeing you, he was ecstatic when he found out you were to come as well" Merlin said with a fond smile.

"You should go rest up now" Merlin told me, and I could tell that I needed it.

"I will..." I said and turned on my heels.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

I was awakened later by a Knock on my door.

I hadn't even noticed that I feel a asleep.

"I'm coming, I'm coming" I called out while yawning when the knocking didn't stop.

"Yeah?" I asked when opening the door.

"Sir, dinner is served in the great hall. Let me escort you" the knight said tensely.

He was sweating.

Nervous huh?

Looks pretty young.

Isn't wearing helmet.

Special armor.

Probably a holy knight.

"Oh thank you, I'm Meliodas, the demon king" I introduced myself and reached out my hand, while closing the door behind me with the other.

At first the holy knight stared down at my hand in what seemed like shock, before smiling and shaking it.

"My name is Gilthunder, I'm a diamond holy knight here in Liones" he introduced himself.

What a special name...

"Diamond huh? You must be pretty darn strong. Let me guess...lightning magic?" I guessed.

It is in his name after all.

We began walking.

He chuckled a bit and nodded.

"That is correct, it's a power I inherited from my father"

"Your father? He must be pretty strong too" I guessed.

Suddenly his smile turned said and his gaze turned downwards.

"He was...he was the grand master holy knight...but he was murdered 15 years ago"

Ouch... what with dead fathers in this place?

"I'm sorry to hear that. But if I may ask...who's got the power to kill the grand master?"

"It's quite alright, we don't know...whoever did it was long gone by the time my fathers corpse was discovered...I was eleven at the time.."

I felt bad for the guy.

Even though I didn't understand the pain of loosing my father, I understood how painful and how traumatic it is to realize that someone you love is never coming back.

Instead of saying anything I did what I though of as the next best thing.

I patted him gently on the back and gave him a understanding smile.

"Sorry I didn't mean to vent like that" he says and rubbed his eyes.

He wasn't crying, but he was most definitely feeling the water well up.

"Don't apologize for that, I get it...you're doing good man...you're doing good"

"...thank you" he said with a soft smile, and the we stoped walking.

I only then noticed the big double doors made out of oak wood.

I heard laughter and chatting on the other side.

"The dining hall" Gilthunder stared and opened the door wide open.

The first one I spotted was Merlin, she had her eyes fixated on me as well.

She had probably been waiting for me to show up.

"Hey Gil, we should chat again sometime" I said, calling him by a nickname I just made up.

At first he liked a buy taken aback before a smile spread across his face, ear to ear.

"I'd like that" he responded.

With that I walked over towards Merlin.

As I walked through the room I could feel many eyes on me.

"You're here already, eh?" I said as I stood next to Merlin.

As a response she just hummed and shrugged.

"Meliodas!"

I recognized that voice.

I turned my head to where I had heard it coming from, and I saw that the ginger haired King Arthur was already running at full speed towards me.

"Arthur!" I called back, and so he jumped at me, forcing me to envelope him in a embrace.

"Geez you're so childish" I mumbled to him, my voice laced with humor.

"Yeah, I missed you too" I simply answered.

Arthur and I had always had a very close relationship.

First of all because he's practically my nephew and I've been there every minute as he grew up into the man he is today.

And second because we relate to each other.

When Arthur left the demon realm to become a Camelot's new king he wasn't very fond of the idea, and if I do say so myself I hadn't talked to him about and told him about my experiences when I as just crowned, he probably wouldn't have done it.

I felt the shocked gazes if everyone in the room, but I didn't mind it.

"Ahem! Lord Arthur..." Nanashi, Arthur's master one swordsmanship and his royal adviser said and lightly poked him on the shoulder, indicating that that was enough intimacy between us for the evening.

"Oh, right!" Arthur quickly let go, he was blushing, clearly a little embarrassed by how he had acted.

I chuckled a little at him and so we proceeded to have a normal conversation on how he was doing, if Camelot was prospering, and if he had found himself a suitable lover?

At the last subject Arthur blushed like never before and effortlessly tried to change the subject.

That's when Merlin butted in.

"Her name is Gwen, she's a maid at the palace"

"Marlin!" Arthur whisper yelled.

"Since she's so low standing they've decided to keep their relationship secret for just a while longer"

Arthur frantically looked around, making sure that nobody heard too much of that conversation.

I could relate to that strategy, no problem.

"I'm happy for you Arthur, hang onto that love with everything you've got, alright?" I told him.

Arthur seemed to grow a bit calmer, and a certain glint appeared in his eyes.

I recognized that glint all to well.

The boy's heads deep in love, so I don't doubt he will do his upmost to hold onto that.

With that thought in mind I quickly scanned the room till I found Elizabeth.

Shockingly she had looked my way too and so our eyes met for a second, before both of us quickly averted our gazes.

I still couldn't decide what the right move would be.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**A/N**

**So there's two things I wanna clear up.**

**1) I know that King is the Third fairy king, but due to the fact that I've altered the time line to take place 300 years after the holy war, and not 3000 I had to take his age into account, as well as the lifespan of every other fairy, meaning that the actual second fairy king (Dahlia) probably wouldn't have died in a mere 300 years.**

**So making King the second fairy king and acting like Dahlia never existed is just easier.**

**2) yeesss, I've watched the show named "Merlin", and I ship Gwen and Arthur so much that I thought it'd bring Gwen into this world too.**

**Deal with it.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Meliodas's POV-**

Quickly putting my conversation with Arthur on pause, I went up the the buffet that was our dinner for the night.

There were round tables here and there, but most people walked around, chatting while eating their food.

I Guess it's too much to hope that dragon is on the menu huh?

Dragon meat is a rather normal dish in the demon world since we've got so many of them.

It's also mine and Zeldris's favorite food.

"Demon king Meliodas?" Someone behind me asked just as I picked up a plate by the buffet.

I turned around and saw that the one who must've called out to me was a fairy.

His back was adorned with huge blue wings.

His hair was orange, styled to cover his face on his right side.

He was also wearing a suit befitting for someone of high class.

"that's me! Can I assume that you're fairy king Harlequin?" I asked wanting to be completely sure.

This could just be the kings advisor after all.

"Yes, I'm Harlequin, second ruler of the fairy King's forest" he says seriously.

His face was set in a permanent frown.

"Nice to meet you" I said with a smile and extended my hand.

His eyes shifted from my face to my hand, and then to my face again, and his frown deepened significantly.

"Okayyy" I says awkwardly and retracted my hand, and yet I didn't stop smiling.

"I'll tell this to you straight. I don't trust you...I know you were once a member of stigma, and friend of the previous fairy king, Gloxinia, but that was 300 years ago, and your acts of kindness from back then can not excuse the things you've done"

I nodded. I understood his reasoning, but I still felt like there was something more beneath the surface.

"I understand, but...have I hurt you? In any way, personally?" Is asked, because from his way of speaking, and the way he looked at me, that was the kind of vibe he gave off.

His frown deepened and now his entire face was lit up with fury. A fury I could see he was trying to suppress. he probably didn't want to make a scene...

"My sister...was nearly killed by one of your people!" His voice rose and when I looked around I could see that we had now drawn the attention of everyone here.

My smile from before was now only a memory.

"I'm sorry ...I had no idea..even now there are demons who refuse to change from how things used to be..of course I've done my best to keep control of these individual...it seems I failed in my ditues, and for that, I am sorry" I said and bowed slightly.

I could hear people around us starting to murmur, most were definitely surprised by my way of handling this situation.

When I looked up I saw that the king was still glaring down at me, but it wasn't as bad as before.

"Okay that's enough King!" A female voice shouted from the crowd surrounding us.

Who's king?

Then a girl with brown hair set up in a pigtail on each side side of her head, dressed in a orange dress, ran up to the fairy king and harshly tugged at his arm, forcing him down on the ground.

I hadn't even noticed, he had been floating above the ground this whole time.

"Hii, I'm Diane, queen of the giants. Please excuse him, he hit his head a few years back" she said jokingly.

"Diane! Don't apologize to him" the fairy king whined.

"Yeah you're right, you're the one who should do that!" She lectured him, making him turn his head away in shame. "C'mon king!" She says, and tried to push him towards me.

King must be his nickname, but that wasn't what I was most focused on at the moment. No. What I focused on was her title.

Giant queen?

But...she's not even taller than the fairy king.

"Excuse me...you're the queen of the giants? But you're..." I says cutting myself off.

Instead i used hand signs to indicate height.

"Oh! Yeah, I take a special kind if medicine to stay tiny, since I just wanna enjoy this with everyone else" she says happily.

Fair enough, after all if she was giant sized she wouldn't be able to fit in here.

"Well I'm glad you're able to"

"So am I" she responded giddily.

"Oh and just so you know, king is just being dramatic, his sister, Elaine, was attacked years ago, but she's completely fine now"

That really helped me ease up.

I hated to think that someone innocent lost their life because I couldn't live up to my mantle as king.

But unfortunately...I knew that there must've been someone who had died over these 300 years.

If only I hadn't been so careless... maybe if we hadn't retracted ourselves from the world this would've never happened...

The crowd around us also seemed to thin, so that's a relief.

"Listen, harlequin, or king, or whatever...we can talk all this over one of these days if you'd like. Maybe we can work something out that'll fit for both of our favors" I told the fairy king who was still being held down by the giant queen.

"And what would that be?"

"I dunno, I'm not sure how you fairy's really function anymore..I haven't been in Britannia for 79 years you see"

At this the two of them seemed shocked.

"79 years! I mean I know that's not thaaaat much for a demon, but still"

"I...-" I started but couldn't find the words.

The reason I left Britannia behind was due to the heartache..but I can't exactly tell them that as of now...

"..."

"..."

"..."

Luckily the awkward silence was cut when a certain Silverette joined us.

Elizabeth.

"Diane, King! It's been way too long" she says and went to give a firm and yet friendly handshake to the fairy king, and then embrace the shrunken giant.

"Elizabethhhhh, I've missed you! Why didn't you come see us yesterday?!" The giant queen whined as she crushed Elizabeth in their hug.

They seem like good friends.

"Sorry, there's just been so many preparations"

Others might've felt left out at this point, but I couldn't help the bone deep sense of relief.

Elizabeth had just saved me from having to explain myself.

...did she do it on purpose, or was it all just by chance?

"Oh right, yeah I keep on forgetting, sorry" the giant queen, apologized and pulled away from their embrace.

"Have you gotten to meet sir demon King yet?" The giant queen then asked Elizabeth, gesturing over at me.

Sir demon king?

"Yes we've already had the chance to meet" she says and gave me a kind while, which I immediately returned.

"Awesome! When did you arrive" the giant queen continued to ask away.

"Earlier today" I told her simply.

"Is it because the Journey is long?"

"No, My advisor is a powerful mage so we just teleported our way here"

"Lady Merlin right?" Elizabeth now started asking questions. "I must admit I was surprised when I found out she was advisor to the demon king. After all she spoke none of it last time she was here" she continued

"Yeah" I chuckled and scratched the back of my head. "Merlin can be quite secretive"

"Yes I had a feeling that was the case" Elizabeth giggled as she talked.

Her giggling truly never failed to widen my smile.

"I'm a bit lost...who's Merlin?" The queen of the giants asked, tilting her head to the side.

That way she looked kinda like a lost puppy.

"You see the woman with midnight black hair? In the blue dress?" I said and looked over at Merlin, but when Duane still couldn't spot her I pointed.

"Ooh! The woman standing with King Arthur, right?"

"Yep, that's her"

"Why are they getting along so well?" The fairy king finally decided to join the conversation again.

"She also escorted Arthur here after my fathers death. Back then I thought she might've been a royal escort or advisor, but if she's your advisor that can't be the case" Elizabeth stated, looking over at me once more.

Of course their relationship was no short of mother and son, but I wouldn't say that.

At least not without Arthur's permission.

If keeping his name clean meant not linking himself with the demons, then so be it.

"That's not really for me to say" I said bluntly, and yet I kept on smiling.

"Oh, like that huh?" The fairy king snarled.

"King!" "Sir king.." Elizabeth and the queen of giants scolded.

"I'm just taking Arthur's feelings on the subject into account, I wouldn't want to tell you something that could tarnish his good image" I told them matter of factly.

"If you really wanna know you can just ask him yourself" I continued and gestures over towards where Arthur was standing, still chatting with Merlin, and a few other people I didn't know.

"Maybe I will!" the fairy king said and shrugged.

That is until his ear was roughly pulled by the queen of giants, Diane.

"Once again, I'm so sorry" she apologized.

"No problem" I told her honestly, and then turned towards Elizabeth with a grin.

"You're friends are very amusing" I told her, letting her know I enjoyed being here, despite the rude fairy king.

"I'm glad you think that way" she find me kindly.

"Now!" I said and clapped my hands, shocking the tree people around me.

"I'm starving" I stayed, turning around and picking up the plate I had sat down a while ago, to fill it with whatever is left in the buffet.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**Third person POV-**

"I can't believe you would act that way" Diane whisper yelled while walking out of the big dining hall, and out into the hallway outside, all while dragging king behind her.

'At least he seems somewhat ashamed by it himself.

But only slightly, and that might only be because of the crowd that formed during his and the demon kings discussion' Diane thought you herself.

"Diane he's a demon, we can't trust them, remember what happened to Elaine, and to the Forest?"

"King...it's been over 40 years.. Elaine is fine, and Ban managed to save the forest. Also, it was only one demon that did that. It's not fair of you to judge an entire race based on the acts of one individual" Diane told him softly, hoping that would help it get through that thick skull of his.

"..." he remained stubbornly quiet.

"You can't honestly tell me you think he's that bad...he seemed really nice"

"..."

His silence was annoying her, but she knew it meant he was thinking things over, so she knew it'd be better to leave him to it.

"Just think about it...okay?" She said and gave him a light kiss on the cheek before skipping back into the dining hall, leaving king behind in the hallway.

King was actually thinking about what Diane told him, he saw the reasoning behind it, but it was as if it was an instinct to hate the demons.

He was barely the equivalent to a teenager when the war was still raging, and due to his young age he was kept in another part of the old fairy kings forest, away from the fighting, and away from stigma, but despite the isolation he remembered the pain of the war, and the fear everyone had for the demon clan...and even now, 300 years later, he still couldn't change his way of thinking.

That was simply how he was raised to think.

But he did know that it needed to change, he had known for a long time.

He didn't actually mean to be that rude towards Meliodas, it just escalated...he wasn't able to stop himself.

Slowly king started walking back into the dining hall.

For a while he scanned the room till he found who he was looking for, whereas he slowly walked over towards him.

"King Arthur" King greeted and bowed slightly to the you the young king standing before him.

"Oh! Fairy king Harlequin, it's an honor" Arthur greeted right back.

"Listen, I know this might seem like a strange request...but could you explain your ties to the demon race's king?" King asked.

Times were changing, and he needed to stay open to the possibility that demons truly wasn't that bad, but to be sure he had to hear it from someone else...someone good and honest, someone with a pure heart, someone like Arthur Pendragon.

"Huh? My ties?" At first Arthur seemed somewhat confused by the request, but then he decided to just roll with it. "He's my uncle"

Kings heart nearly stopped.

But Arthur was quick to add the much needed content.

"Well we're not tied by blood...my childhood isn't what you would call a pleasant one you see...I was poor, and was regularly abused by my foster family, but then Merlin found me, and became my new foster parent.

Merlin and Meliodas are like brother and sister, so he started joking about being my uncle, but it kinda stuck"

King had a hard time finding the words he wanted to say, but in the end he got the hang of it.

"Do-does-eh- does that..mean y-you lived in the demon realm?"

"Yeah, I lived there till I was about 16, then I took my rightful place that king of Camelot, but I still visit sometimes"

"...I-...I don't know what to say..."

"There's not really a reason to say a lot either, I just wish for people to see the demon clan in their true nature"

"Unfortunately most people believe that the demons true nature is evil" King stated.

His conversation with Arthur had definitely made an impression, but king couldn't quite say that he now trusted the demons, or their king...yet.

"But it isn't, they're just like everyone else...they fall in love, have families, festivals, picnics, everything" Arthur started listing.

While Arthur was a human he lived as a demon for a big part of his life.

It was only logical for him to stand up for them.

Kings mind was spinning.

He looked over at where Meliodas was standing, still chatting with Elizabeth.

If you ignored the dark magic, and the black eyes, he looked like any other guy..

"Thank you for telling me this..it's given me quite a lot to think about" king said, Boeing to Arthur once more, indicating that he would take his leave.

"You're most welcome, I'm glad" Arthur said and nodded politely.

Walking away, king still felt a bit dizzy, and decided to take a glass of wine.

Probably not the best thing to do when you're already feeling dizzy, but King just needed something to take his mind off of the mind wracking information he had been given.

"Heyyy bother in law~"

"Oh goodness no" King whispered when he heard the far too familiar voice.

The voice belonging to the beast men's representative, Ban.

Ban was also the husband of Elaine, kings younger sister.

"Oh goodness yesss~" Ban laughed and swung an arm around king.

"Are you really already drunk? Have some class Ban"

"I'm not drunk...I'm tipsy~" Ban, who was very much drunk said as he swayed.

"You sure put on a show with the demon there~" Ban said happily.

Ban's thoughts on demons were not very different from king's as a demon had nearly stolen his beloved away from him.

That's also the reason Ban is immortal...

"Can we please have this conversation later?" King asked and were about to take a sip of his wine, until Ban took it from him and chugged the whole thing.

King could merely sigh...in any other situation he would've stabbed ban, but that wasn't really the best option right now, and right here surrounded by people who might not know of Ban's immortality.

"Yes I did...but that...was a mistake!" King said, regarding Ban's last comment.

"Huh? Going soft on me are you?~"

King merely sighed at the comment and proceeded to unwrap himself from Ban's hold on him.

Now without the extra support Ban immediately feel to the ground with a loud thud.

He said some gibberish and then tried to get back up, but failed.

Due to the loud thud from Bans fall a few people had looked over at them.

Some were confused, while some were concerned by seeing Ban in such a state, that were mostly the people who didn't know ban that well.

"I'm not helping you up. You got yourself into this predicament" King said plainly.

"Meanie~"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Meliodas and Elizabeth who was standing a bit further away, chatting, had seen it all go down.

But by now, some helpful bystanders had helped Ban up and led him to a chair.

"Someone can't hold their liquor" Meliodas stated humorously.

"That's sir Ban for you" Elizabeth agreed with a pained smile.

She had known Ban for a long time and she knew this was gonna happen, she had wished it would've been a little later though, since the evening had barely just begun.

"A friend?" Meliodas guessed.

"Oh yes, Ban is the brother in law of the fairy king, who I've also been quite good friends with for many years"

"How come? I mean you weren't queen till just barely a year ago"

"It's because of Elaine, king's sister. Many years ago she was brought to Ishtar after...after she was attacked by a demon.."

"Ishtar, the sacred lands of the druids? What does that have to do with you?"

"My mother was a Druid, she helped in healing Elaine. Then later my mother met my father and moved here to marry him.. they stayed friends, and so I've known them my entire life, and inevitably became friends with them myself"

"So you and your sisters are half Druid?"

Elizabeth giggled.

"That's really all you got out of that story? Also, no it's just me, my sisters had a different mother, so in reality we're only half sisters"

"Oh. heh...it's just interesting. As for the rest of your story, I think it proofs more than anything that friendship can last more than one lifetime, your mother's friendship with the fairies live on with you" Meliodas says with a distant look.

He couldn't help but laugh on the inside.

A Druid, the humans who worship goddesses and despise the demons.

'To think you'd be born into a life so similar to the one you led before...' he thought sadly.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**A/N**

**I know this chapter might've seemed a bit useless, but I just wanted to really introduce the others, and set up a relationship between them.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Third person POV-**

Meliodas's first day in Liones had come to an end.

Actually it had hours ago, but he couldn't sleep.

He laid in the comfortable bed, staring up at the ceiling.

For the first time in 300 years he felt whole again.

Just being able to chat with Elizabeth again...hearing her laugh, seeing her smile.

It was enough...

Or at least it should've been.

So why couldn't he just live with knowing that she was alive and happy?

Getting frustrated by his own way of thinking Meliodas jumped out of bed and ran an angry hand through his hair.

The chances of him sleeping that night was turning relatively slim.

He turned his head towards the small window in his room.

The moons light was shining through, illuminating the room in a soothing light.

Carefully he went over to gaze out the window.

What he saw was another garden, different from the one he had met this Elizabeth in.

This garden was going around a small pond, and over than pond was a small pavilion, that you reacted by a bridge.

Then Meliodas noticed that someone was out there.

And not just someone, but Elizabeth...

Meliodas gave into his instincts and got dressed.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Elizabeth's gaze was set on the sky above her.

Not many clouds filled the heavens that night, so she had a beautiful view of the stars.

"Can't sleep huh?"

Elizabeth whipped her head towards the source of the voice, out of shock at finding someone else up, and out so late, but she relaxed when she saw that it was Meliodas.

"You neither Huh?" She answered his question with a question in return, and returned her gaze to the sky above.

"No...I can't seem to slow my heartbeats...this day has been..amazing" he says breathily.

He didn't dare tell her that it was all because of her.

"That makes me glad...I was worried when I saw the way sir King treated you" she said, her voice turning sad.

She felt guilty, despite it not being her fault at all.

"It's okay, there's no need for you to feel bad" Meliodas said softly, resting his arms on the railing beside where she was standing and turned his gaze upwards as well.

Once again Elizabeth's head whipped towards him.

"How?"

"How what?" Asked innocently, not even turning his head to look at her.

"How do you read me so well? I thought I had gotten pretty good at hiding.."

"You don't have to hide from me Elizabeth..." he says softly, closing his eyes. Resting.

All Elizabeth could do was stare.

She still couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that this was the king of the demons.

The clan that horror stories was based off of.

How? Had those who wrote those stories never witnessed a demon such as Meliodas?

Was he one of a kind?

"I don't?" She pressed, still captivated by him.

Her eyes widened when she saw the ever present black mark on his forehead disappear.

Then he opened his eyes and turned towards her.

His eyes, a emerald green that she had never seen before.

Her jewelry was cheap in comparison.

"No, whatever you're hiding...I'll accept all of you" he said softly, looking at her with those eyes...with that smile..

Is that why her heart was beating so fast that she thought it might try to jump out of her chest?

Suddenly Meliodas's smile turned slightly sad, and he averted his gaze to pond below.

"Great...now I sound like a creep" he sighed, only for him to hear, but Elizabeth heard it clearly.

"No...you sound like someone who cares" she told him sweetly and honestly.

She had needed something like this, some one to tell her it was okay to be who she truly was.

Because she was shy, she was awkward, and she was scared of all the responsibilities she had suddenly been given.

But only Meliodas knew, a man she hadn't even known for 24 hours.

Meliodas looked at her, a little baffled.

He had been afraid she would push him away after he had been flirting with her so very clearly...but apparently she was a little dense and didn't realize he had been flirting.

"You're an angel, you know that?" he told her.

She couldn't help but blush at the sweet compliment.

"O-oh no..I just..." she started, but didn't know where she was going with it so she ended up just stopping in the middle.

"Why are you being so kind to me? You barely know me.."

Meliodas shrugged.

"It feels like I've known you forever...it's hard to explain"

Elizabeth's heart hadn't slowed, and even though it seemed impossible it seemed as if it even began beating faster.

'Why am I feeling this way?! I barely know him!' She was screaming at herself, inside of her head.

She knew exactly why she was feeling that way, but it felt silly that she would've developed a crush on him, after only one day.

She needed it to stop.

She refused to set herself up for inevitable heartbreak.

'He's the king of the demons.. and I'm the queen of Lioness. It could never be... so just stop!' She reasoned with herself.

But then the the widest she had been keeping back cake out.

"I feel the same...and it's... confusing"

"I'd be surprised if it wasn't...confusing that is"

"You're probably right" Elizabeth agreed with a smile and stepped a little closer to Meliodas which earned her a bigger smile.

"..."

"..."

A thick silence then spread over them.

But it wasn't an awkward silence. No.

It was soothing and welcoming.

"Meliodas!- I mean sir-..lord Mel-"

"Meliodas is just fine" Meliodas laughed at her failed attempts.

"R-Right! Will you...will you meet me again tomorrow?"

"Hm? Why?" Meliodas asked. Then his expression turned teasing. "A date?"

"W-W-Wha!!?! We've only just met!" Elizabeth stuttered, completely flustered by Meliodas's teasing.

"At least you didn't say 'never'" Meliodas continued to tease, enjoying the way she reacted.

But then he realized that he was supposed to not get into a relationship with her again, and he immediately composed himself.

"Sorry...I'd love to meet up again tomorrow, but do you really have the time?" He asked, half hoping she did have time, and half hoping she didn't have time.

"Yeah I've got time, most of the preparations has already been dealt with, so I can just relax and have fun for the time being!" She says overly happy about not having so any responsibilities for once.

"In which case I'm on. What do you say? Meet hear again tomorrow?" Meliodas said, cursing at himself on the inside.

"3pm?"

"Sure I can deal with that"

"Deal"

"Deal"

They shook hands, and immediately started laughing at their own weird quirks.

When they were done laughing Elizabeth yawned so deeply that tears gathered in the corners of her eyes.

"Oh wow, go to bed" Meliodas said and stroked the top of her head, causing Elizabeth to blush, but also to grow all the more sleepy.

"Okay" Elizabeth agreed and gave a small wave as she started walking back to the castle.

Meliodas however continued to stand there on the pavilion over the water.

His existential crisis was beginning to become a real bother.

"Should I listen to my heart? Or my instincts?" He whispered out the question, hoping that something, or someone...anyone, could answer him.

Of course no answer came, and Meliodas started walking back to his room to rest before the day tomorrow.

_**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**_

Nope, he still didn't sleep.

Awake all night, but luckily that was something he was used to. He was King after all...

Now there was 2 hours to spend before Meliodas would meet up with Elizabeth...

How to spend them?...

He started aimlessly walking around the castle grounds in search of something to do.

While he did that he wristled the melody of a piece of music he had once heard called chikai.

"That's a beautiful tune" someone suddenly says as he turned a corner, and there stood the Elizabeth's older sister...

Luckily not Veronica. No. It was her oldest sister, Margaret.

"Thank you, it's a song that's quite popular in the demon realm" he told her and smiled.

Margaret simply smiled kindly and stepped forward.

"You're not gonna yell at me for being here are you?" Meliodas joked, referring to Veronica's outburst the day before.

"I'm guessing you're talking about my sister Veronica's outburst..she told me about it, and I'm sorry for the way you've been treated while staying here" Margaret apologized solemnly.

"Nah don't feel bad, it's kinda justified, you were probably raised hearing horror stories about the demons"

"That's correct, but it doesn't excuse Veronica's behavior, and I promise you she has been severely lectured on the subject"

"Don't be too hard on her, I know she just wants to protect her little sister"

"That's very true, Elizabeth has always been the jewel of the family" Margaret said fondly.

"But on that note-"

Oh no.

"-be good to my sister...will you please?"

"...I don't follow"

"I'm not as oblivious as others, I recognize the look in your eyes when you talk with my sister...but she's the queen of this kingdom, and you're the king of another..."

"Don't worry about it...I've already set myself up to it" I told her sadly.

"But while you are here, please, make sure she will be ready for that as well...i shouldn't be the one to tell you, but there's clearly a spark between you"

Once again a war began raging inside of meliodas.

One part felt giddy, sniffed felt guilty.

"I understand"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"Well aren't you a beauty?" Meliodas said to a black horse in the royal stable.

After his conversation with Margaret he continued to aimlessly wander till he stumbled upon the stables.

"You're the living proof that darkness can be beautiful...you know that-" he says but stopped to glance at the name sign above this particular horse's stable.

"-Sombra" he read the horse's name out loud, and as if the horse was responding it neighed.

"Yeah yeah" Meliodas chuckled and patted the majestic animal on the neck.

"You really seem to like horses my lord.." one of the stable boys says a bit hesitantly.

"I do, especially the black ones like this...dogs are still my number one though"

"Dogs? Is there a reason why?"

"Someone I knew had a dog long ago, very sweet boy" meliodas saud, thinking back to Elizabeth's puppy, Estarossa.

"Hey Alioni? Do you know what time it is?" Meliodas asked the stable boy, who then gazed outside to look at the sun's placement in the sky.

"I'd say...somewhere between 2.30pm and 3pm"

"Well that's my cue to leave, I have a meeting at 3pm"

"A date my lord?"

"Heh..I wish...see ya!" Meliodas laughed humorlessly and ran off to the pond garden.

He just prayed he didn't run into anyone else on the way there.

Especially Elizabeth's sisters.

Luckily just this once, his prayers were heard.

When he arrived at the garden he saw that Elizabeth had already arrived.

She was wearing a sleeveless yellow summer dress with white flowers in the lower half.

Not what you would expect a queen to wear, but it suited her.

"Heya, I'm not late am I?" He asked as he walked on the bridge over to the pavilion.

Elizabeth shook her head.

"No, I'm just here early is all"

"Well that's a relief...did you sleep well?" He asked kindly, thinking of just how late she ended up going to bed.

"Like a newborn baby"

"So you woke up every two, or three hours?" He asked sarcastically.

He had never understood the saying 'slept like a baby' for this very reason.

Elizabeth opened her mouth to counter, but then she thought about it.

"Now that I think about it...that's a really strange saying"

"Right!?"

Elizabeth laughed, and decided to try again.

"I slept great, did you?"

"Didn't sleep a wink, but I'm used to it, it's alright"

"That's...not healthy" she says with a nervous laugh.

"Nothing I do is healthy, besides working out, and spending time with the kids...doing paperwork...you know what? forget I said anything" he said realizing he was more healthy than he tried to make out.

However there was one specific sentence that caught Elizabeth's attention.

"You have kids?"

"Huh?! No no no no no!" He said while making wild arm gestures.

"I'm talking about my nieces, Y'know the emo brother I told you about? His kids. Ishide and Lilinda"

It annoyed Elizabeth slightly how relieved she was to hear that.

"How old are they?"

"Both are 56, the're twins. It's the equivalent to...2 or 3 years, so they don't speak that well"

"Oh I love children at that age, sure they're hard to understand, but everything they say sounds so adorable" Elizabeth gushed.

"That's true, and they know it. Honestly they never stop talking, not that I mind it"

"You seem like a good uncle"

"That's because I am a good uncle!" He grinned.

"I bet! Anyway I was thinking we could go to the festival" she said, changing the subject to what they would spend the day doing.

"Oh yeah, Hendrickson mentioned a festival. Sounds fun, let's do it"

"Great! Let's go" Elizabeth practically jumped with excitement.

'She loved festivals in her past life too' Meliodas thought lovingly.

He couldn't help himself...he was in love with Elizabeth for the second time...

Elizabeth was already running along so Meliodas had to catch up with her in a hurry, which made him burst out in a fit of chuckles.

'She is SOOOO exited'

"I take it you really like festivals huh?" He chuckled.

Of course he knew the answer.

"Y-Yeah..maybe a bit too much" she said a bit embarrassed by the way she had just behaved.

"No, you love them just the right amount, everyone else just doesn't love it enough"

Immediately she was cheered up.

"I like the way you think"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

The festival was like any other festival in a heavy populated area.

Lots of people, food stalls, souvenirs...more food stalls.

...is that a frickin' weapons seller?

"Hello Howzer..." Elizabeth greeted the blond guy who was sitting at what looked to be a weapons seller booth.

"Hey Ellie..." he says tiredly.

'Ellie?...they're that close huh?' Meliodas thought.

He didn't like it.

"Helping your father out in the shop today huh?" She says and began inspecting a spear laying across the table.

"Yeah, because you know..when I don't do my work as a holy knight I'm forced to do...this" he says gesturing to the stall he was sitting at.

It was then that Elizabeth turned to Meliodas.

"Howzer's father, Raizer, owns the blacksmith that most often provide our best knights with their weapons"

"I see" Meliodas mumbled and started to inspect the weapons himself.

They are good quality alright.

Could be polished a bit better but that was really the only thing to spot right off the bat.

Then suddenly, without warning Meliodas sensed a dark and sinister presence who the crowd of people standing around on the street.

The presence disappeared as quickly as it came, but it left a bad taste in Meliodas's mouth.

"Something wrong dude? You seem a bit pale" Howzer said, he hadn't felt the presence. Not even slightly.

Not surprising. It was definitely demonic, which meant it would be easier for Meliodas to pick up on.

"Meliodas? Are you not feeling well? We can go back if you-" Elizabeth started to suggest that they head back to the castle, but Meliodas wasn't ready for the day to end yet so he cut her off.

"No...I just thought...it's nothing...so Elizabeth...you got a good eye for weapons" Meliodas quickly tried to change the subject.

The presence had disappeared anyways, so there wasn't that big of a chance of him tracking it down.

And who knows, maybe it was just one of the few demons loving their life as humans.

There was a few of those.

\- Gowther, doll and demon.

-Monspeet, Derieri and their son, Balake.

\- and a few others.

At least he hoped that was the case.

"Oh yes. My uncle, Denzel, taught me how to fight like a knight...so I suppose...I'm okay at it..." she says, her voice slowly trailing off.

"Don't sell yourself short Ellie. She's amazing!" Howzer said and turned to Meliodas to explain further. "This one time we ran into a black hound and she-" before he could continue Elizabeth had clasped a hand over his mouth, making him and Meliodas look to her in bafflement.

"I'm sure Meliodas doesn't want to hear THAT story"

"Oh I'm sure I do, go on Howzer" Meliodas smiles mischievously and peeled Elizabeth's hand off of Howzer's mouth.

And so began story time.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"I can't believe you-" meliodas started.

He could just barely contain his laughter.

"Uh-Huh!"

"And-"

"Yep!" Elizabeth was so embarrassed she refused to let him finish a single subject about the matter.

"Okay okay, I'll stop"

"Thank you" she sighed, still extremely embarrassed.

"C'mon no need to be that embarrassed"

"Didn't you say you would stop?" She squeaked.

"Right! So anyway, why were you trained to be a knight if you were always meant to be queen?" Meliodas asked, hoping the answer wasn't something like: 'my parents wanted a son'

After all they got Veronica...

"It was when I was 10 years old...The former grand master was murdered within castle grounds.."

"Zaratras..I'm aware, his son, Gilthunder escorted me to dinner yesterday and he told me about it"

"I see, that's make it a bit easier to explain..but after that happened and they didn't find the culprit everyone grew paranoid, and my father and uncle wanted me and my sisters to be smile to protect ourselves if the culprits should ever come for us"

"That must've been stressing, and terrifying for a child to go through" he said.

He had hoped this Elizabeth's childhood was as lighthearted as could be.

Of course it wasn't nearly as bad the the childhood his goddess had had, but seeing her saddened eyes hurt, no matter the context.

"It was...but it was also necessary"

"Did they ever come after you?"

"No...but they're still out there somewhere, so who knows...they may some day"

"Listen Elizabeth" Meliodas Said as he grabbed each of her arms gently, making her look at him.

"No matter who it might be, or when it might be, we're...friends now, so if you need me, I'll be there for you. Okay?"

"Thank you...so much" Elizabeth whispered. For some reason she looked as if she was in a trance.

She was staring into his eyes, which was now that green color once again.

He hadn't even noticed that he let his darkness reside.

He cursed under his breath and called the darkness back.

But when his eyes turned black again Elizabeth broke out of her trance.

"C-could you maybe...keep them green? Your eyes are beautiful, I know understanding why you would be hiding them"

Meliodas debated wether he should tell her the heartbreaking story of his childhood now or later.

"I was taught to be ashamed of them..." he said quietly.

He would tell her some now.

"Why?" She asked confused.

He gently led her towards a bench, where ttey then say down.

One of his hands was still resting on one of her arms.

He made no movement to remove it.

"I already told you that my father was a terrible man...I really meant it.

He's the reason the demons are the inspiration for horror stories...but back then, when he still ruled, and when I blindly followed his command, our ruthlessness was the demon's pride...

That's why eyes as mine..bright, green...and somewhat lively, was despicable...I learned that early in life...sometimes it feels as if my fathers shadow us still lurking over me" he finished, placing his head in his free hand.

It had been so long...too long, since he talked freely about this...

Elizabeth didn't say anything.

She didn't need to.

Instead she removed her arm from under Meliodas's hand, and for a moment he was afraid she had heard enough and was gonna leave..but then her arms wrapped him and pulled him into a sideways hug.

"It's okay...whatever your past might be, the future is yours to make" she said, and he knew she was right.

He needed to let go, and look to the future instead of constantly gazing behind him at the past.

That's probably the reason he had ended up in this ditch where he had spent the last 79 years, because he didn't look where he was going.

He pulled away, but only slightly to look at Elizabeth's face.

Her eyes were closed and her lips were pulled up into a sad smile.

More than anything...he wanted to reach up and kiss her at that very moment.

But he remembered Margaret's words.

'It would be cruel' he told himself, he had to remember it...write it on the inside of his eyelids if that's what it took.

"Just as you said to me...you don't need to hide from me...I'll accept all of you.."

'Y'know what?! Screw cruelty!'

As fast as he could, Meliodas reached up and brushed his lips against Elizabeth's...

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**A/N**

**WHEYYYY!**

**I know they technically haven't known each other for that long.**

**But meliodas knows her due to her previous life, and Elizabeth's live for meliodas has stated intact, even though she doesn't realize it's love yet.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Third person POV-**

The kiss was soft and light, and it only lasted for a second.

...Meliodas immediately regretted it.

Whatever that had come over him was gone, replaced by terror.

He should've done that.

Because now it would be ten times harder to hold himself back.

"I-I...wha-?" Elizabeth stuttered, shocked and flustered from the demon kings sudden act.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me..." he said turning his head away from her.

He couldn't look her in the eyes.

"N-No it's...okay" she says, casing Meliodas's head to turn to look at her again.

His face easily displayed just how shocked he was to hear that answer.

To be honest, Elizabeth was a bit shocked about it as well, but nonetheless it was the truth.

"No it's not...it's not okay" Meliodas pushed.

He had really crossed the line this time.

They both became quiet, but unlike before, it was a very awkward, and made both of them squirm in their seats on the bench.

While Meliodas felt like the biggest scum of the earth, Elizabeth couldn't figure out how to feel.

Just as she had said, it was okay...but wasn't that wrong?

For her to feel that way?

For her heart to have beaten so fast. She knew it was supposed to be wrong.

But it just felt so right...

"I should go" Meliodas then said, stood up, and in a matter of moments he had disappeared into the crowd of people attending the festival.

Elizabeth didn't get angry when he left, she could only imagine she embarrassed, and self loathing Meliodas felt for having kissed her so suddenly.

She didn't really make the situation better either...to him it might've seemed like she was lying through her teeth when she said that it was okay.

After a few moments Elizabeth stood up as well and started walking back towards the castle.

She needed to do some serious thinking.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Meliodas needed to vent, so he went to the stables, asked Alioni if he could borrow a horse for a few hours, which he agreed to.

In fact he said he could take Sombra, which Meliodas gladly game a thumbs up to.

So that's why he was a few kilometers out of Liones as of now.

He was laying on his back, cloud gazing while Sombra was munching on some grass a bit to his left.

"I'm an idiot aren't I?" Meliodas asked no one I particularly.

But Sombra neighed and shook his mane.

'I swear sometimes it feels as if animals can understand our language' Meliodas thought as he glanced at the black horse.

"...how could I do that?" He then whispered and closed closed eyes.

Of course he knew why he did what he did.

Because he loved her...He loved her more than was probably healthy, and after being separated for 300 years He let my emotions get the best of him.

Slowly he pressed a finger to his lips.

He couldn't deny just how right it had felt to kiss her like that again.

Nor could he deny the fact that he wanted more...

"Gah!" He shouted and began slapping a hand against his forehead, hoping it'd clear his head.

"Why couldn't I just let go!?

Let her find someone else to love!

Let her marry and have a family, and live out her life to the fullest!" He shouted desperately.

"Why?...

...why?...why did it have to be like this?..."

When He opened his eyes again he noticed that the sky had turned from blue to a soft and beautiful orange mixed with a bit of pink in the horizon.

"Sunset? Already?.." he mumbled.

He had apparently been out here longer than he thought.

Carefully he stood up and went over to the horse who was looking at him, as if it was expecting them to go back now.

Which they were of course.

"Let's go boy..." He said as he mounted the horse with little effort.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"Where have you been?" Merlin asked Meliodas, with a raised eyebrow.

'Oh how the tables have turned, that's the look I always give her when she's been gone too long' he thought.

"Doesn't matter...I'm not leaving this room till we're going bank to hell...where I belong" He said and face planted onto his bed.

Hell was of course another word for the demon realm.

"Oh my...what's happened, did you make a move on the princess?" She said mischievously, obviously joking.

But as an answer Meliodas let out a scream into his pillow.

"...oh...you actually did"

"OUT!" He shouted, now sitting up and threw his pillow at her, but before it could hit she had already teleported away.

He meant what he said..

If he could at all he'll it he was only gonna leave his room for the various meetings he had to go to these coming days.

Merlin could always bring him food, and he had his own bathroom.

It would be fine...

He couldn't risk making anymore mistakes.

And he couldn't look Elizabeth in the eyes, not after what he did today.

Once more Meliodas's fingers trailed up till they rested on his lips.

'It's for the best' he tried to convince himself...but it was tough..

As if on cue someone knocked on the door.

"My lord! Dinner is served"

Meliodas got on stood in front of the door. But he didn't open it.

"Thank you buy I'm not feeling well, so I think I'll go without dinner today"

"Would you like me to send you a doctor?"

"No thank you, it's not quite that serious"

"...understood, get well soon my lord..."

"Thank you"

With that Meliodas could here the man on the outside begin walking away.

Meliodas knew Elizabeth would be there, so he wasn't going.

His best choice right now was to simply ignore Elizabeth for the remaining time of his stay here.

It would hurt.

But it was necessary...

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Meliodas had stayed in his room for hours.

Either just staring out into the empty air, or gazing out if the garden...

It was the middle of the night when Meliodas was suddenly awakened by the same sinister presence he felt during the festival.

This time it lasted for a few seconds, and he was able to tell it wasn't far away.

It wasn't exact but he knew just about where to look.

Surely he wouldn't run into anyone this late...

In a hurry he was out of the door, not even bothering to get properly dressed.

He went down a hallway to the left, then left again, and then right.

And then he spotted it.

A white demon trying effortlessly to fit through a small window..it looked like it had felt him coming and had tried to get out as fast as possible.

"Got you!" He says and grabbed the little pest by it's neck.

"Ah! Ah!! Gahhh!" It whined as it tried to get Meliodas to loosen his grip.

"What do you think you're doing here!? This isn't your territory!"

"Food! Just a little bit! We...live in this land!"

'So this little pest must be one of the demons deciding to live within Britannia. A high ranking demons who can easily be mistaken for humans it's easy enough, but it's gotta be tough for a white demon such as this one' meliodas thought, but he still wouldn't his anger towards the demon before him die down.

"So you break into liones castle?! You're a demon, hunt a deer or something!"

"Mghh!" The white demon continued to struggle.

"What's your name?"

"G-Gaharch!"

"So answer me, Gaharch...you were our for souls weren't you...the souls of a holy knight perhaps?"

"Nhh!-no! Lord~" the demon begged.

"What to do with you...ah I know.." Meliodas said and so he started to walz back to Merlin's room.

He knocked on the door, loud enough for her to hear, but not loud enough to wake anyone else.

The doors opened with the use of Merlin's magic, and when he walked in he could see that Merlin in was in the middle of some kind of experiment on her wooden desk.

"Perfect timing" meliodas said and held Gaharch up

The moment Gaharch coughs eye of Merlin he started panicking.

There didn't exist a demon who wasn't afraid of ending up in Merlin's hands.

"Quiet down, I'm not gonna let her experiment on you!" Meliodas said harshly.

"Merlin I want you to keep him in safe keeping...in a bottle or something...then I can deal with him when we get back home"

"Oh certainly...you said I couldn't experiment on him?" Merlin asked mischievously, while finding a suitable bottle.

"That's what I says yes...not even I'm that cruel"

"Bummer...Takinota Deshigu mada " Merlin uttered a spell and opened the bottle.

Immediately Gaharch was sucked inside.

"What did he do?"

"Suspected of conspiracy of murder"

"I see" Merlin simply nodded and put the bottle containing Gaharch in a drawer.

"It's good to see you out of your room at least" Merlin smirked.

"About that..I'm going bank in. Goodnight" Meliodas said and turned on his heels, waving at Merlin over his shoulder.

Merlin sighed.

But Meliodas could here the amusement in her voice...she thought he was gonna break soon...

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"He hasn't left his room since the other day?" Elizabeth asked the guards stationed near Meliodas's and Merlin's room, the next day.

"I'm afraid so M'lady. Yesterday he says he wasn't feeling well, but denied to be visited by a doctor"

"...Because he isn't sick" Elizabeth muttered under her breath.

"What was that M'lady?"

"Nothing, great work, keep it up"

"Yes! Thank you!"

Elizabeth then turned around and started walking back to her room, but halfway there she stopped and decided to go to the garden...the pond garden.

'Somehow today seems somewhat gloomy, despite how the sun is shining' Elizabeth pondered.

She guessed it was her inner turmoil changing the way she saw the surrounding world.

And yes, her inner turmoil was bad.

Not only had she not figured out what to do with her obvious feelings towards Meliodas, but Meliodas was even avoiding her and locking himself inside of his room just to not run into her..

That though alone almost made tears gather in her eyes...but her anger over the entire situation were greater than her sadness.

'How dare he just ignore me..that-..that kiss should be something we should talk about. Work through it, not act like it never happened!!' She shouted inside of her mind.

It was rare for Elizabeth to get angry, but this entire situation was too much for her.

How could she not be angry with the way he was acting?!

As she sat on a bench in the pavilion over the water, she couldn't help but glance up at where she knew Meliodas's window to his room was.

What she saw only lit a spark inside of her.

There he was, looking out, but when he noticed that she was looking he quickly drew the curtains for.

"Okay...that's enough!" She said to herself and stood up.

She was walking to Meliodas's room, if he wasn't gonna come out to talk, she was just gonna have to come in.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Elizabeth now stood in front of the doors that led to Meliodas's room.

She was shaking, no longer due to anger.

No.

Most of her anger had faded on the walk there, but she still wanted to talk to him.

To clear this all up.

But she was nervous.

She swallowed and then knocked, 1, 2, 3 times.

Then she pushed the handle down.

Locked...of course.

"Meliodas...open the door"

"..."

"We have to talk! You know we do! You can't jus-t ignore me!" She said. Her voice broke halfway through the last sentence.

'No! Don't cry' Elizabeth told herself.

"..."

Elizabeth was still met with silence.

Elizabeth places her hand on the door.

"Please...don't hide.." she said, and this time a sound met her.

Not a voice though.

She felt it through her hand.

And then a dragging sound followed.

He had leaned his back against the door, and now he slid down, to sit on the floor.

His heart was hurting.

'Should I open?' he though, and pondered on that for a while.

Slowly, almost so slowly that he almost fell back down, he stood up.

He grabbed the end of the key that was keeping the door locked.

One flick with his wrist and she would be able to come in.

"Please...Meliodas.." Elizabeth said.

The click of the door being unlocked shocked her, but she didn't hesitate.

She pressed down on the handle and opened the door wide open.

Meliodas took two steps back to allow her to open the door.

She steeped in quietly and closed the door behind her.

The room was dark with the curtains drawn, and only a candle on his night stand to illuminate the room.

"So...let's talk" Elizabeth started.

Her heart was beating fast again.

She didn't know if it was because she was nervous, or because she was standing in front of Meliodas who was only wearing a red tank top, showing off all of his muscles and a tattoo of a dragon wrapping itself around a yin-yang symbol...

"What's there to talk about Elizabeth?"

"The kiss" Elizabeth says bluntly, causing herself to blush, but her resolve didn't waver. Not even fit a second.

"Again- what's tree to talk about...I said sorry.." he says and averted his face to the floor.

"I don't want a Sorry"

"What? You want another kiss?" He said, obviously joking...

Like most guys, Meliodas's defend mechanism was using humor to defuse a situation such as this.

"Meliodas...I want to know why you kissed me"

"Why do people kiss Elizabeth?" Meliodas asked sarcastically, but Elizabeth answered anyways.

"Mostly because they have feelings for each other"

"...Bingo.." Meliodas muttured, barely loud enough for Elizabeth to hear, but she was just able to make it out.

"...do you have feelings for me?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly.

She couldn't decide what she wanted him to say.

Because if he says no then hat would be it...but on the other hand..if he says yes, she wouldn't be able to let him go...

After all, she had somehow developed feelings for him, so if he returned those feelings...yeah..then what?

What would that lead to?

"Yes" he answered after a short while.

He had wanted to say no. To let whatever they had end right then and there.

But he couldn't...

"It's so weird...I've known you for such a short time and yet-...and yet I've developed feelings for you as well..."

The happiness Meliodas felt when he heard her say that can't be compared to anything in the entire world.

'I have to listen to my heart' Meliodas decided.

The battle within him had been decided.

He stepped forward and grabbed a hold of her arms, when he was this close he was really able to make out just how red her face was.

'Adorable..'

"Elizabeth..I won't make the same mistake twice. So I'll ask you:..can I kiss you?" He asked softly.

"...yes" she said.

Meliodas searched her eyes for any doubt or any fear, but when he didn't find any he leaned up and finally connected their lips.

It wasn't like the kiss the other day.

This one was mutual.

Meliodas trailed his hands from her arms to rest softly on her collar.

And Elizabeth's hands found found themselves tangled in is hair.

'She's just as I remember' Meliodas thought and separated from her.

The separation didn't last long though as meliodas leaved up a couple more times to lightly peck her lips, cheek, nose and her lips again.

'Gosh I've missed you'

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**A/N**

**Make sure you remember Gaharch, he will be important later on.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Third person POV-**

"So what now?" Elizabeth asked.

She was leaning up against meliodas, who was cuddling her while leaning his back against the frame of his bed.

"Mmmm" Meliodas hummed and kissed the top of her head.

He hadn't even heard her question.

Elizabeth blushed from the sweet act, but continued to push.

"Meliodas..what is this gonna lead to?"

"Whatever you want it to lead to.." he said calmly.

The last thing he wanted was to push her into doing something she was uncomfortable with.

"...I-..I want to be with you.." she said and rotated her body so that she could wrap her arms around him.

"But how? We're both the rulers of our respected territory..."

Meliodas thought about Elizabeth's words.

"I could retire from the throne?"

"Don't be silly, you can't do that..."

Meliodas then had a flashback to 300 years ago when he betrayed his family and entire race just to be with the goddess Elizabeth.

"Oh yes I can"

"Meliodas..." Elizabeth scolded.

She thought he was kidding with her.

"Elizabeth...ask me for anything..I won't deny you anything" Meliodas said sweetly and kissed her square on the lips again.

Once again Elizabeth's hands sought refuge in his wild hair, his hands however landed on her waist, and she made a little yelp from the contact there, causing Meliodas to chuckle into the kiss.

"You don't make sense to me" Elizabeth says when they parted, causing Meliodas to humorously raise an eyebrow.

"How can you say all that...and how can I like you so much, when we've only known each other for such a short amount of time?" Elizabeth continued.

"You're still taking about that?"

"How can I not? What we're doing right now...it's against everything I've ever been taught"

'Once again, another perfect fit between you and your past life' Meliodas thought.

"Does that makes it wrong?"

"...I don't know...it-it doesn't feel wrong" she whispered and snuggled into him.

"Then that's all we need to know"

Elizabeth thought about what to say to that, but she ended up just nodding.

They stayed like that for a while, just wrapped in each other's arms.

Meliodas finally felt whole again, but he was somewhat guilty...

If he ended up having to leave her again, it would break her heart. He knew that.

'I'll just have to find a way to stay with her forever'

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

After laying together for what felt like hours Elizabeth had fallen asleep for a short while.

So when she woke up she glanced out of the window to see how late it had gotten.

The sun had set.

"Ah! I- I should get going, my sisters are probably wondering where I am" She squealed and immediately sprung up to straighten her hair and her dress, all the whole meliodas looked on I bafflement.

"Yeah, okay"

"I'm sorry it's just-" She said, quickly getting frustrated, after all it's not like she could openly tell her sisters where she had been. They had already made it clear that they thought that Meliodas wasn't the one for her.

She then paused, thinking it over.

'The one? When did I draw that conclusion?'

She shook her head trying to escape those confusing thoughts. Then she caught her reflection in the body mirror standing in the corner of the room.

Her hair was a mess and so she quickly walked over to the mirror to try and fix it.

Her hair had originally been set up in a ponytail, in which the hair that was pulled into the ponytail was braided, and of course her signature bangs covering her right eye.

Meliodas laughed a little at seeing her frantically set her hair again, but fail.

"Just keep it loose" he told her cheekily.

"But that's-..." Elizabeth trailed off.

There wasn't really anything wrong with having her hair loose. She just wasn't as used to it.

"Here...let me help" Meliodas said and got up from the bed.

He carefully helped her untied her hair from the now messy ponytail and braids. He then ran his hands through it a couple of times to see if there were any major knots.

There were, so he took the brush that laid on the bedside table and started carefully brushing her hair, all the while Elizabeth looked at him with shock through his reflection in the mirror.

It only took a few minutes, and then Meliodas tugged the last few strands of hair behind her ears, before looking in at her reflection with doubt.

She turned her head slightly to look directly at him, trying to make out what he was thinking about.

Then, hesitantly Meliodas raised his hand and evenly distributed her bangs over her entire forehead, uncovering her right eye, which quickly made her close her eyes in shame, but meliodas had already caught eye of her orange eye.

Orange..and with a white symbol in the middle.

It was the eye of the goddess clan.

Meliodas had already been sure that she was his Elizabeth, but seeing true, living proof of it made his heart leap with joy, and so he hugged her from behind.

Elizabeth's eyes were still closed, but she raised her hands to try and correct her bangs, only for her wrist to gently be caught by Meliodas's hand.

"Why hide it?"

"I don't like it..." Elizabeth explained as her eyes locked with Meliodas's through their reflection.

"Why not?"

"...my sisters eyes aren't like that...not my fathers, or my mothers, as far as I can remember...it makes me feel like I'm different from all of them.."

Meliodas understood, at least to an extent.

If she felt bad showing it to others then he wouldn't push her. All he could do was reassure her and hope that it would one day lead to something.

He let go of her wrist, which he had been softly stroking, allowing her to fix her hair.

"You're perfect, with that eye and without...I'm sure everyone else would agree"

Elizabeth couldn't do anything but smile, and turn around in his arms.

"Thank you" she whispered, and then remembered that the resson they even dud her hair was because she had to leave.

"I really have to get going"

"I know" Meliodas answered and unwrapped his arms from around her.

Immediately Elizabeth missed his warmth, but she quickly focused on something else.

The thing she focused on being the door...

"Okay...so...you won't lock yourself in anymore...right?" She says and she grabbed the door handle, but she didn't press down.

"Yeah..now that we've cleared this it won't be a problem" Meliodas said and put his hands behind his head as he grinned.

Elizabeth smiled and nodded, and so she left the room.

The moment she closed the door after her and stood alone in the hallway it was as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over her.

'W-We kisses! And-wha-...' she thought in a panic.

It was as if walking into his room, and finally standing behind him had put her in some kind of trance.

'I said yes to him kissing me!! And I kissed him back! Oh gosh!...'

Her face was as red as a ripe strawberry.

'Yeah...move focus..strawberries..that sounds good just about now!' She thought you herself.

She really needed something to take her mind off of Meliodas for at least a short while, and if strawberries were what could help, then so be it, even if it spoiled her dinner.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"Are you a demon too then?~" Ban asked Merlin during dinner later that evening.

He was already drunk and hadn't realized till now that Meliodas, the guy he was chatting with was the demon king.

"Me? Oh no, I'm human...or a wisemen to be precise"

"Oh~" Ban said, but then leaned down to Meliodas's level to whisper:

"I don't know what that means man~"

Maybe it was because he was drunk, or maybe it's because he actually got to learn that Meliodas wasn't that bad of a guy while chatting with him.

But many people around then who knew Ban was surprised he hadn't tried to instigate a fight with the demon king, as Ban had on more than one occasion promised to eliminate the demons off the face of the earth after what they did to his beloved Elaine.

"Do you want the long explanation or the short one?" Meliodas asked, knowing quite a lot about wisemen as there was more of them 300 years ago.

"Short one, duh!~"

"Very very powerful wizards"

"OoOhH! Does that mean you can make things float?~" Ban asked.

"Oh that's child's play" Merlin smirked, and on cue a mug of ale floated up in front of Ban.

"I like your style Merkin!~"

"Merlin" Merlin corrected.

"Whatever~"

"Hah!.." Meliodas laughed.

He kinda liked this Ban guy.

But he sure couldn't hold his liquor.

Then again, if you go 300 years back, Meliodas was a lightweight as well. He just grew very tolerant to alcohol over time as it was one of his many unhealthy coping mechanisms after Elizabeth died.

"Heh heh! You funny Demon...you're not as bad as the red one~" Ban said flicked Meliodas's ahoge.

"The...red one?" Meliodas asked, a tiny bit confused. He assumed that ban was talking about a demon from the red family, but the red demons power level was only 1000-1300, which is very weak.

Meliodas had assumed that the sister of the fairy king, and her chosen spouse would've been stronger than that.

"Yeah Y'know, big disgusting, Blurgh!~" Ban says, going for sounds affects instead of actual words, but Meliodas understood.

"Ever stumbled upon any other demons?"

"You"

"Fair point"

"But you seem a lot better! But then again you're just a kid~"

This caused Meliodas to pause.

He was used to being mistaken for a child, but it still was annoying to have to explain every time.

He had only grown about 7 inches in the past 300 years, and his face hadn't changed that much either.

Meliodas did however find comfort in the fact that his brother Zeldris hadn't matured much appearance-wise either.

"Sorry pal but I'm not a kid...I'm the equivalent to a man in his early twenties" Meliodas states looking up and man who had put his hand on top of Meliodas's head.

Now it was Bans turn to pause for a bit, but after a couple of seconds he bursted out laughing, thinking that Meliodas was joking.

But his laughter quickly died as he saw that neither Meliodas nor Merkin was laughing.

"Oh...you're serious~" Ban stated, having figured it out.

"Then how come..~" Ban trailed off. He moved his hand from Meliodas's he'd to his own, and so he went back and forth like that for a little while.

He was clearly talking about Meliodas's height.

Ban was already very tall for someone his age, and so, with Meliodas being so short the height difference was enormous.

"I'm just a late bloomer is all" Meliodas says and sweat dropped slightly.

How did they even get to this subject?

Oh right, bad demons.

"Then again, it wouldn't really matter if I was old or young, age is what brings out the bad in people after all" Meliodas continued.

He knew from experience that the thing that did bring out the worst in people was the way they were raised, so in fact it would've been worse had Meliodas met Ban when he was younger, when he still blindly followed his fathers command.

"But my childhood were crap, and yet I turned out fine~" Ban countered, not to start a argument, but due to his intoxicated state he just didn't understand.

"There must've been something good enough to turn your situation around for you..meeting your wife for example?" Meliodas questioned, having heard a bit of Ban and Elaine's story from Elizabeth the other day.

"Yeahhh, but Zhivago and Sellion was a big help too~" Ban says happily.

Zhivago had saved Ban from a life life of abuse.

Back then he didn't know that his new adoptive father was a werefox, but Ban was an adventurous and curios kid, so one night when Zhivago went out to go see his biological son, Sellion, Ban followed, and found out the truth.

Zhivago had immediately thought that Ban would hate him, But something like his race wasn't enough to make Ban forget what he had done for him, and he promised to one day repay it.

That's why he was the beast-men's representative, as many people were still too scared of the beast men it was easier for ban, a human to attend things like this without scaring everyone.

"Zhivago? Sellion? Friends of yours?" Meliodas asked.

"Huh? Nah-Uh, Zhivago is my dad! And Sellion is my brother!...well adoptive dad and brother~"

The moment the word 'adoptive' was added Meliodas understood.

'Probably had an abusive family and was lucky to be taken in by some kind man' Meliodas thought with a fond smile.

He was glad people like this Zhivago still existed.

"Sounds like you got a good family, I'm happy for ya!" Meliodas said and gave a thumbs up.

He still didn't know a an thaaatt well, but Meliodas would always be happy for someone like Ban.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**A/N**

**Ahhhh yes, a blooming lovers relationship and a blooming friendship.**

**Meliodas is really scoring!**


	12. Chapter 11

**Third person POV-**

"Aren't you hungry Ellie" Veronica asked her sister while she herself took a bit if everything from the luxurious buffet.

"Huh?" Elizabeth asked.

She had been in her own thoughts and hadn't heard Veronica's question.

Veronica sighed and gestured to the buffet. "Hungry?" She tried again.

"Ah..no I'm not hungry"

"Are you not feeling well or something?" Veronica asked, concerned that Elizabeth had a stomach ache or something.

"I'm feeling just fine, I think I just spoiled my dinner by eating a bowl of strawberries" Elizabeth said a big embarrassed.

Her plan hadn't even worked! It hadn't taken her mind off of Meliodas at all.

Once again Elizabeth turned her gaze to where she had seen meliodas stand just a few seconds ago.

Veronica saw her look somewhere else and so she tried to follow Elizabeth's gaze, and she was thoroughly disappointed hen she saw that her sister was looking at the demon king.

"Ellie...don't get too hung up on a beast like that!" Veronica scolded.

Elizabeth felt a sudden urge to scold her sister back and defend Meliodas, but she wasn't ready for her sister to know that she had actually been full on kissing that so called beast.

Instead Elizabeth just ignored Veronica, and continued to look at Meliodas from afar.

'What is it about him that's made me fall so hard?' She wondered.

'Is it how he make me feel so confident and special, and so very comfortable around him.

How he make her feel so...so...Loved' she kept on wondering, but halted at the word "love"

'It's not love! It can't be! It's just a crush that we've both acted upon!' She screamed at herself.

She was slightly terrified at how quickly she drew these kinds of conclusions.

"Ellie!" Veronica scolded, now louder, since Elizabeth has just ignored her the last time.

"Am I not even allowed to choose where I look?" Elizabeth responded irritatedly.

Veronica's overprotectiveness was really beginning to bug her.

Before the slightly taken aback Veronica didn't get to answer before Elizabeth began walking away.

Elizabeth had had enough for the evening, so without excusing herself she left and went to her room.

Veronica was now angry, but choose not to follow.

Meliodas however saw her leave, and also noted that she seemed somewhat hurt and angry, so he excused himself from his conversation with Ban and Merlin and discreetly followed Elizabeth.

He had to be quick though and follow her on her heels, because if he lost her he wouldn't know where she was going.

"Hey hey! hang on!" He called out for her when they were far enough from the dining hall to not get interrupted.

She stopped immediately, shocked that someone had actually followed her.

"Meliodas? What is it?" She asked slightly concerned when she saw that it was him.

After all there had to be a reason he had ran after her.

"That look on your face...I saw it when you left and thought you could need some comforting" he says kindly and stepped forward to take on of her hands in his.

"That's...all?" She asked. But truly it was more of a statement than a question.

He kept on being so kind towards her, in every possible situation.

Instead of answering Meliodas raised the hand that wasn't intertwined with he's, and put it on her cheek, softly stroking it.

It was only then that Elizabeth realized she had started to cry.

Embarrassed she quickly tried to dry up her tears, but it was an impossible feat.

"Why?...why am I-?..." Elizabeth trailed off.

"Where's your room? Is it nearby?" Meliodas asked.

Who knows what others might think if they saw this go down here in the middle of a hallway.

"Mmmhm" Elizabeth hummed and nodded.

Without thinking too much if it she led Meliodas down one more hallway and then into her room.

Being in the safety of her room Elizabeth sat down on the small couch she had in the corner and pressed her face into Meliodas's chest, still while sobbing.

"Elizabeth..what happened?" He asked, he had seen she had been talking with her sister Veronica, but didn't have the slightest idea what they could've been talking about.

"It can't ever be can it?! Why do I even want it to be?! What are all these emotions coursing through me!?" She asked desperately.

"Oh Elizabeth...I though we had worked through this.." Meliodas said softly.

He felt bad, because he knew that this Elizabeth had a very real link to the goddess Elizabeth, which meant that the love the goddess Elizabeth felt for Meliodas must've been transmitted to this Elizabeth, but without the memories of the time they spent together in the past life these emotions must feel like a tsunami of confusing emotions that she couldn't quite place.

"Me too...I'm just-it's so confusing" she said and curled more into him.

"Tell me what I can do for you and I will" he said, stroking the top of her head.

It was as if something clicked within Elizabeth, and before she could truly think it over the words rushed out.

"Kiss me" she says and pushed away, so that he would actually have a chance to kiss her.

Meliodas was definitely taken aback.

He had thought she just needed him here, perhaps keep stricken her hair.

But if a kiss is what she wanted, and needed then he would gladly.

Elizabeth raised up from the couch and that way Meliodas quickly brought her lips into a soft kiss

But surprisingly, soft wasn't what Elizabeth needed at that moment.

She pressed harder against his lips, and the kiss was much more insistent than their first, both Meliodas and Elizabeth pushing themselves into one another. Meliodas's hands moved to be around her waist and he pushed her back onto the couch, not breaking the kiss. He knelt between her legs as they wrapped around his back and her hands moved to be draped around his neck.

Before the kiss got too heated, Meliodas pulled back a little, knowing that if he continued he wouldn't be able to stop.

"Like that? M'lady?" Meliodas teased, using the title she had specifically asked him not to use.

She pouted a bit, but luckily her tears had stopped flowing, and he could tell that the pout was just an act to keep a rising smile away from reaching the surface.

"Oh? Won't you smile for me?" He asked teasingly and put his forehead against hers.

When she kept on pouting he knew he had to take to other techniques.

"Kyaaa!" Elizabeth yelped as she felt Meliodas's fingers on her rib cage.

Her face face flushed and she began laughing uncontrollably

"There's the Elizabeth I know and love! Aww look at that smile, how cute!" Meliodas Said. It didn't quite register to him that he just admitted to loving her.

Elizabeth made a mental note to address that later, but right now she couldn't even speak anymore, the tickling combined with compliments was a far too powerful combination.

"Hey Elizabeth, My idea of keeping your hair down was really a good idea wasn't it" Meliodas chuckled.

At least it had been, but now that she was wriggling so much he could practically see her hair getting tangled up.

"Yehe-yehehehes! Plehehehease dohohohon't!" Elizabeth laughed, looking up at Meliodas as he stopped his assault completely and tilted his head to the side.

"Hmm? Don't what?" Meliodas questioned, wondering for a second if this trick would even work.

"Tickle me!" Elizabeth said, not having caught onto what Meliodas was doing.

"Okay!" He says gleefully and started again, wiggling fingers travelling from the bottom to the top of Elizabeth's rib cage and back, sending her back into a fit of laughter.

"H-HEHEHEY! THAHAT'S NOHOHOT FAIHIHIHIR!" She was squirming left and right on the couch. Whenever she tried to grab Meliodas's hands, they would just move up to her underarms, making her snap his arms back down.

"Who said I was playing fair?" meliodas chuckled, but he decided to show mercy just this once.

And so he stopped his assault.

"At least I got you to smile" Meliodas grinned.

"Y-yeah but you cheated!" Elizabeth giggled, then her face turned soft and a loving smile found its way onto her lips.

"Meliodas?...Do you realize...what you said before?" She asked.

Meliodas thought she looked breathtaking in that moment. Whatever it was it had her eyes shining like the sun rays reflecting in the surface of the ocean.

"When I tricked you?" He asked, completely oblivious to his own confession.

"N-no...just when you began tickling me.."

Meliodas searched his memory for a few seconds before he remembered Exacly what he had said.

A blushing Meliodas was a very very rare sight, but that's what Elizabeth saw right then and there.

He smiled through his blush, and kindly kissed her forehead.

"I know exactly what I said" he told her.

She remained quiet as if she was expecting a "but".

"And I meant it" he continued.

Her eyes widened completely, and her heart started beating so fast that she feared it would go overdrive and shut down.

"We've only known each other for a few days...how can you be so sure?" She asked.

Of course she wanted to know his reasoning, but she also hoped his answer could help her figure out if these feelings she had for him was love.

"Haven't I already told you?"

"You says it felt as if you knew me forever, but that's hardly an answer"

"No?"

"No"

"Hmm, maybe you're just my soulmate" Meliodas says and started to attack her face with small kisses.

Elizabeth's new what soulmates were, they were portrayed in a lot of the romance novels she loved reading, but she always had the understanding that soulmates actually weren't a real thing.

Now she was beginning to doubt it.

"You...you think so?" Elizabeth stuttered.

Meliodas tilted his head a bit to the side and grinned.

"Let me rephrase. I know so..."

"But how?" She pressed.

She was personally struggling with the "how" part herself so she really wanted to know how Meliodas could be so sure.

Meliodas had already decided that he wouldn't tell Elizabeth about her past life.

It would only be confusing, and he needed to look towards the future now.

A future he hoped he could share with Elizabeth.

"You make me feel whole...like a part of me I didn't even know existed was missing before I met you..." Meliodas explainer, and suddenly Elizabeth understood.

She had always been searching for something.

She had always told herself that she was longing for adventure since she was stuck in the castle most of the time as a child, but ever since she became a knight and actually started going on adventures she figured out that that wasn't it.

She had spent the last many years trying to figure it out...she would've never guessed that that missing puzzle piece would be the demon king, Meliodas.

"Get it?" Meliodas asked, a bit unsure since she hadn't said, nor moved since he gave his explanation.

"Y-Yeah...yeah..." Elizabeth said, and nodded with a shaky voice.

She was on the verge of tears, but she had already sobbed into his chest one time that day so she would do her upmost to make sure it didn't happen a second time.

She was about to lean up to kiss him again when a knock on the door brought them both back to the real world.

Elizabeth grew terrified as she saw the handle go down, and then the door rustled, but didn't open.

"Did you lock it?" Elizabeth whispered to Meliodas as quietly as she could, as both hurried to get up from the couch.

"Of course" Meliodas responded just as quietly and began looking around the room for an escape.

"Ellie open up already.." sounded the tired voice of Elizabeth's older sister, Veronica.

"Of all people-" Meliodas started but was forced to shut up as he was forcefully pushed into a closet by Elizabeth.

"Coming!" Elizabeth called frantically as she closed the closet doors on the still baffled Meliodas.

And just as she sayid Elizabeth ran to the door, turned the key and opened it for her sister to walk in, seemingly haven forgotten about their little verbal fight in the dining hall.

"Oh Ellie..have you been crying?" Veronica asked after the door had been closed.

Elizabeth guesses her eyes still was red.

"Yeah...but only for a little while"

"I just don't want you to be hurt...that's my job" Veronica said, and raised her hand to stroke Elizabeth's hair

"I don't need you to protect me Veronica..." Elizabeth says and stepped out of reach of Veronica's hand.

"You always judge people so easily...so what if he is a demon? That doesn't mean he isn't a good man. Over the time he's been here I've gotten to know him in a more personal level, and I'm telling you...I'm baffled. He's kind, funny, serious when it counts, and understanding...you just don't see that, because as soon as you heard the word demon you closed your mind off to-"

"Okay that's enough!" Veronica says rather roughly, cutting off Elizabeth's rant.

"Now let ME tell YOU something. You always see the best in people, and god bless you for that, but it isn't always a good thing...that demon of yours, Meliodas can be found written about in old scriptures...the stories we here about demons with sharp teeth are scary enough, but the real horrors are the demons like him, the knew that can actually think their actions through, and still do something so horrible.." Veronica says and wrapped her arms around herself.

The truth was that she was scared of the demon clan.

"They eat souls, burn down villages, kill people like you Ellie!"

"..W-Why like me?" Elizabeth asked, having completely forgotten about the demon in her closet.

"You're half Druid..a human with partial goddess magic residing within you. Demons kill goddesses and those who side with the goddesses!"

"Veronica...you're talking about a war that raged 300 years ago. Times such as those have come to an end..."

"All it takes us a simple command from their king and it could all start over again!"

"...I want you to leave now" Elizabeth told her sister firmly after a short pause.

At first Veronica looked like she was gonna protest, but in the end she just let out a sigh and stormed out, slamming the door hard behind her.

Elizabeth remained standing in the middle of the room, but then Meliodas crawled out of the closet and gave her a grateful and yet sympathetic smile.

"Thank you for standing up for me...but what she said was true..." Meliodas said and brought the still frozen Elizabeth into a hug.

She wasn't gonna cry.

She wasn't really sad at all.

She was just tired. Tired of the fact that nobody around her could see the truth.

"But you won't...start another war, I mean" Elizabeth stated, matter of factly.

"No, never" Meliodas thought, and shivered at the memories of the war 300 years ago.

Why would he ever want that again?

Elizabeth felt his shiver and pulled away to look at him with a questioning look in her eyes.

"You battled during the war, right?...will you..tell me about it?"

Meliodas was a bit baffled by the request, but before he could answer she continued.

"I just feel like it's a part of your past I need to know if we're...gonna do this" she said, and clearly Veronica's words had planted a seed that Elizabeth herself couldn't pick up on.

"...I was younger...not that much though...I was still an adult when my father, the Former king called for me to discuss a new plan on how to kill off the goddess clan.

His plan was to take half of his power, and split that half into 10 pieces, and then grant those pieces to worthy warriors.

And I was chosen to be the leader of this new group, which we would call the 10 commandments"

"I've read about them. Faith, love, pacifism, patience, piety, purity, repose, reticence, selflessness, truth..each one bearing their own curse"

"Yes, I held the commandment of love. Anyone in my presence who held hatred within their heart would be unable to harm another, the again this would also include me..."

Elizabeth waited patiently for the continuation but could see that he had a hard time thinking about his dark past.

It hurt remembering how he had once been.

He continued.

"But that wasn't a problem...because I felt nothing"

Elizabeth's eyes widened.

He was such a kind man, clearly filled with emotion.

This was his past?

It was hard to fathom.

"This way it was easy for me to kill my prey...that's basically the story of most of my life...kill kill kill...but the time did come when I realized how wrong I had been...I slowly changed into the man I am today, and so I joined stigma to help overthrow the demon clan" Meliodas Explained, but remembered to not mention the goddess Elizabeth.

"You betrayed your own?" Elizabeth asked a as maxed that he had the courage to do such a thing.

"Yes I did...not something I'm proud of, but it was necessary at the time"

"And then you killed your father?" Elizabeth guessed what happened next.

"After regaining the trust of the people, yes"

"Hmmm...you don't sound like you're all that bad to me. Yes, you've made mistakes, but I can clearly tell that you've regretted it, and is trying to make up for it bit by bit" Elizabeth concluded and softly trailed her fingers through Meliodas's wild hair.

"Not many people would think that way after what I've just told them...actually I was going easy on myself, I was so much worse.." Meliodas said sadly.

There was nothing Meliodas was more ashamed of than his past self.

"Keyword: "was"...now you're a great man, a great uncle and a great king" Elizabeth said, trying to remember the few things she actually did know.

"I need you to be open with me Meliodas...I can't have you bottling all this stuff up, or one day you'll shatter from the weight of it"

Meliodas looked at Elizabeth like she was the jewel of the world.

"You're perfect" he told her lovingly, making her giggle at his sudden mood change.

"And you're cheesy" she told him jokingly.

Soon after, they parted.

Elizabeth stayed in her room and Meliodas went on his way to go find his.

For the two of them the only negative they were currently facing was the overprotective Veronica.

Little did they know...that things were about to get a whole lot worse.


	13. Chapter 12

**A/N**

**First of all...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS MANGA IS NEARLY DONE!!! THE LATEST CHAPTER IS SO PURE!!!!!!!**

**ugly sobbing noises***

**Okay I'm done now**

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**Third person POV-**

**-In the demon realm-**

Zeldris was stressed.

No.

He was beyond stressed.

Something was happening now that Meliodas was no longer present.

And he didn't like it.

Unidentifiable silhouettes has been spotted sneaking around the castle.

And of course it put everyone on edge, as nobody knew who, or what they were, or what they wanted.

It wasn't like such things were unheard of, but mostly it didn't lead to anything good.

In worst case scenario someone was planning a coup d'état.

But suddenly these individuals had completely disappeared from their radar, as if they knew they were onto them.

Of course this only caused Zeldris's level of stress to rise, and at the end of his wit he was writing a letter to his brother, which he had put off doing, thinking he could easily take care of the situation himself.

In his younger days Zeldris did everything he possibly could to get his brothers approval. He guessed a part of that stayed with him till now.

Wanting to proof to his brother that he was good enough to take care of the duties of a king on his own.

With that in mind Zeldris sighed and rolled up the now finished letter, put it in a small cylinder, stood up and went to find someone who would deliver the letter.

"Young zeldris! If anybody should deliver the letter to master then it should be me!" Chandler whined.

Chandler had asked 5 time already, but Zeldris knew that if Chandler would go then it would only trouble Meliodas.

"Chandler...shut up" Zeldris said, clearly at his wits end with the old demon.

"Calzzo!!" Zeldris called as he bursted into a barrack on the south side of the castle grounds.

A blue demon, fairly small build looked up from a game of cards, and when he saw that it was zeldris that had called him he threw his cards up in the air out of surprise, quickly hit up and saluted.

"To my office-" that's something zeldris has always wanted to say.

"We need to discuss something"

With that Zeldris turned on his heels, returning to his office, quickly followed by a grumpy Chandler, and Calzzo who feared he had done something wrong.

When they got to the office Zeldris did a little maneuvering, and successfully got him and Calzzo inside the office first which made it possible to lock the door so chandler couldn't follow, much to his dismay.

Angry, Chandler slammed the door with his cane a few times out of pure frustration, and then he went on his merry way with a huff.

"Now that that's taken care of..-" Zeldris started sighed, and turned away from the doors to walk to the desk where he picked up the cylinder containing the letter for his brother.

"Calzzo, I need you to deliver this message for me. I know your speed is unrivaled, that's why I've choose you for this as the message have to be delivered quickly. It is crucial"

"Yes sir...where will I be going, and who is the message to be delivered to?"

"The message is to be delivered to the king himself, Meliodas. He is currently at a political meet up in the capital of the kingdom Liones...I do warn you, it might be rough as the humans still haven't softened up to us demons...not have the other races for that matter" Zeldris warned and held out the cylinder for Calzzo, a unspoken question, if he was willing to take up this task, as he had the rights to refuse.

Without much hesitation Calzzo reached out and took the cylinder, which had a rope attached to it, making it possible to strap around his waist.

"I shall take my leave immediately" Calzzo says and bowed, ready to be dismissed.

"Yes, but before I leave could you tell me approximately when Meliodas will have arrived the message?"

"At the very least in 2 days...unfortunately Liones is a distant kingdom"

"Yes I see...dismissed...save travels Calzzo.." Zeldris says and have a small wave with his hand.

Calzzo merely bowed and left the room, whereas he found a balcony to take off from.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**-In lioness-**

The next few days were spent in meetings, trying to establish treaties, or at least a understanding between territories.

For example, it gave Meliodas the perfect chance to clear up a few routers about the demon clan, and he had even managed to soften up the fairy king.

Become friends with the beat-men's representative, Ban, the queen of the giants, Diane, and the king of Castellio, Escanor, who had take over the throne after his elder brother died an unfortunate death when he was young.

Meliodas was also able to make out what kind of relationships the other countries and races had established till now.

But mostly what kind of relationship the individuals had.

Diane and Elizabeth was best friends.

King and Diane were a couple.

Escanor is kinda always a third wheel, but practically friends with everyone.

The leader of the Druids were goddesses, not anything anyone else apparently knew, but Meliodas could feel it.

In some kind of context Gowther's name was mentioned, but Meliodas wasn't listening well enough to hear why, and didn't question it, but made a mental note to ask Gowther the next time he came to visit.

"-you meet ms. Merlin?" A question asked by the King of castellio, Escanor snapped Meliodas out of a set of thought he had had.

"Sorry what was the question?" Meliodas asked.

He did realize he had not been the one to get asked, but he felt more comfortable knowing what a Merkin was about to answer before she actually began talking.

"Oh I was just asking ms. Merlin how the two of you met.. since she's human I mean.." Escanor says timidly and twiddled with his thumbs, making his advisor sigh and Shane his head.

It wasn't a question meliodas felt bad at letting Merlin answer, but then again he didn't feel particularly good.

"Oh, well I've known Meliodas since...well before I could even talk" she says teasingly, clearly only targeting Meliodas with her words.

He faked winching, just to give her the satisfaction.

"Oh? How so?" Escanor says, suddenly a bit intrigued by the story he was about to hear.

"Well it's a very very short story, that being that I was simply adopted by Meliodas's family when I was merely an infant" Merlin says and took a sip of water from her glass.

Meliodas almost deflated out of relief from the answer as it wasn't at all as innocent as Merlin made it sound like.

In reality Meliodas's father had found out about this child, who was Merlin, who was born with extraordinary power.

His fathers exact words was: "she might be of use to in the near future", and with that he sent Meliodas to kidnap the baby, whereas the demon king then destroyed Merlin's home city to make sure that nobody would try to get her back.

That's why Meliodas and Merlin had such a 'brother sister relationship'.

"That's very sweet" Elizabeth said, liking the though very much.

"Is it? We've never really thought much of it" Merlin said nonchalantly and splashed the water around in her glass.

"Y-yeah" Meliodas stuttered and chugged his entire glass of water.

After that little detour the meeting continued to stay in trail, for about another two hours, but then everyone agreed that it would be a good idea to call it quits today.

As everyone left the room quietly, Meliodas made sure to slip Elizabeth a tiny note.

That had strangely become custom for them over these two days.

Since they weren't really ready to announce their relationship they had to be very subtle about when and where they would meet up, and that's what the notes contained.

Yesterday they had gone to the festival since their last outing to it had been foiled by the kiss, and then Meliodas's disappearance act.

On the way to her room Elizabeth unfolded the crumbled up note.

"Hope you know how to ride horses! Meet me at the west gates, 3pm, alright? 3" the note said, and actually had a drawn heart at the end.

'He wants to go for a joy ride?' Elizabeth thought fondly, and then giggled at her continuing thoughts.

"What does he expect? Of course I can ride horses, I'm a trained knight!'

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

"Heyyy~" Meliodas dung as he fought eye of the approaching princess.

He would've waved his he wasn't holding the reins of Sombra, and another spotted horse, an Appaloosa, named Marble.

"Good evening" Elizabeth greeted with a sweet smile and she stepped in front of him.

Meliodas was about to say something but Elizabeth cut him to the chase.

"'Hope you know how to ride horses'? What do you take me for?!" Elizabeth laughed and took Marble's reins.

"Well I've gotta admit deep down I was hoping you didn't know how to" Meliodas said with a mischievous look on his face.

Now Elizabeth was just confused.

"Why?"

"Well you've gotta admit there's something very romantic about riding a horse while your girlfriend holds onto you for dear life"

The idea caused Elizabeth to blush slightly, but she still laughed slightly at the thought of Meliodas being a hopeless romantic.

"You wish" Elizabeth teases.

"Yes, yes I do"

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

So now, Elizabeth was sitting in a creek, partially submerged in two feet of water. Her dress completely soaked.

It seemed that her horse, Marble, was very capable of jumping over modestly sized streams, but also seemed that Marble was just as capable of dropping her rider into modestly sized streams as well.

On one side of the creek was a very puzzled horse wondering why there wasn't a rider on her back. On the other side of the creek was Meliodas, still sitting atop Sombra, very obviously fighting back a laugh.

When her eyes met his, he immediately cleared his throat and straightened his back like a proper gentlemen would.

"I'm sorry."

Elizabeth shook her head. "It's fine." She looked to the otherside of the creek and saw Marble awkwardly walking up to her, the regret very clear in the horse's eyes. "Marble, I'm not mad" Elizabeth giggled.

Despite the fact that she was soaked she could see the humor of the situation.

She figured that laughing at herself was a lot better than moping in her misery. At least the servants at the castle would get a good chuckle once she returned home soaking wet.

Meliodas got off Sombra and walked over to the edge of the creek.

Elizabeth looked up at him and found it in herself to grin.

Soon enough, Meliodas knelt down and reached over to Elizabeth.

"Perhaps you'd like a hand?"

Elizabeth nodded and extended her wet hand towards him. During the split second before their fingers entwined, a rather sneaky idea popped into her mind.

Once Elizabeth had a good grip on Meliodas's hand, she gave him a mischievous smile and gave a slight tug, causing Meliodas's to tumble forward.

"Whoa, WHOA! " he exclaimed, then he crashed into the creek with the grace of a stumbling drunkard.

"Never imagined you'd be one for dirty tricks" he said as he ran a bow very wet hand through his also wet hair.

Elizabeth shrugged with a laugh and started to get up, this time on her own, leaving a pouting Meliodas behind in the creek.

A few moments later however Meliodas got up too.

"Do you need to go back for a change of clothes or...something?" Meliodas asked.

He personally was doing fine with being a little wet, he couldn't be sure how Elizabeth felt about it through.

"Nooo it's not problem! The sun is out, we'll dry fast" he says and took off her jacket and boots.

Humorously neigh, when she turned the boots upside down water poured out of them, causing both of them to chuckle.

"Such a laid bank queen you are" Meliodas teased and kissed her cheek while sitting down next to her.

"I could say the same thing about you, oh mighty demon king"

As if one cue Meliodas felt the presence of a demon nearby.

He carefully stood up, confusing Elizabeth.

He looked around, thinking it might be a pack of white demons, as Gaharch had said "we" when he explained that he lived in the lands of Brittania.

Luckily Meliodas was quickly able to spot the blue demon high in the sky.

It was one of the royal messengers, Calzzo.

Which meant he probably had a message for him.

Elizabeth followed Meliodas's gaze and sprung up in shock and partial fear when she saw the blue creature making a turn to fly down towards them.

"It's okay" meliodas told her quietly had stroked her arm.

"Your majesty.." Calzzo said and bowed after he had landed on a rock a few meters away.

"Calzzo..what are you doing here" Meliodas asked firmly while continuing to strike the slightly terrified Elizabeth's arm.

"Lord Zeldris asked me to deliver this to you.." Calzzo says and I strapped a cylinder from a rope attached to his waist.

Meliodas knew that the cylinder would contain either a important cucumber or a letter.

"Thank you...here-" Meliodas says and threw Calzzo a good coin, which he looked at in confusion.

"Get yourself something to eat on the way back" Meliodas continued, and with that Calzzo lightened up

In absolute joy, saluted and quickly took to the sky again.

"Zeldris...your brother right?" Elizabeth asked, clearly much calmer now that the blue demon was gone.

"Yeah, he's the acting king while I'm gone...I hadn't expected him to contact me though, he normally knows how to handle pretty much anything..." Meliodas says nonchalantly as he popped the cylinder open and took the letter out.

Suddenly Elizabeth was very worried.

'What if something has gone terribly wrong?'

She looked over his shoulder as he unfolded the letter and read it.

"Dearest brother, Meliodas.

I hope you are well, unfortunately though things have taken a dire turn in the small amount of time you have been absent.

Mere nights ago unidentifiable individuals snuck around the palace grounds, and then immediately disappeared from the realm as we were getting on their trail.

I worry what this could mean.

I found the need to update you on these news, but I can reassure you that we are taking every precautionary measure we can here, so you need not worry too much about us, as I know you would had I not written these last couple of sentences.

Stay well till we'll see each other again.

-Zeldris" the letter said.

While Elizabeth was worried about what was going on in the demon realm she had to hold back an "aww" from how sweetly Meliodas's brother expresses himself on paper.

"I'm sure he rolled his eyes as he wrote this" Meliodas laughed.

"Why do you think that?" Elizabeth asked, genuinely curious.

"Zeldris is a very reserved person and don't particularly like talking to me in this kind of sweet way, but in these kind of situations he will, just to make sure I didn't go "big brother mode" Meliodas explained and laughed at the last part.

Meliodas had been known to be a bit too much...

"Oh, I see...but either way..even if he doesn't like talking about it much, I bet this is actually how he feels, and he just doesn't feel confident enough to let it out that often" Elizabeth said abc put a finger of the letter.

Meliodas had guessed that himself, but he didn't like pushing his brother too much.

He was just happy that they were now closer than ever, and had in fact been for the last 300 years.

After all they were bitter enemies at one point.

"Anyways...it says that these unidentified individuals escaped...so what do you think?" Meliodas said and turned all the way around to look Elizabeth in the eye.

"What do you mean with 'what do you think?'?"

"You're not worried they will come here? This could be some kind of conspiracy..." Meliodas was overthinking, and was immediately getting worried.

"If it makes you more at ease I will have more guards, and knights on duty. Okay?" She said relatively calmly and put a still cold hand, cold from the cold water, on his cheek.

Despite the touch being cold it was much needed and he leaned into it, whereas he gently took her hand and moved it down on his cheek till he could turn and lightly kiss her wrist.

"It'll be okay" Meliodas mumbled against her wrist.

He says it to reassure himself more than her.

She knew this, and understood, so she stroked her lower cheek with a few fingers, without moving her wrist away from his soft, warm lips.

"Of course it will" she said so softly that it nearly morphed into a whisper.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Garharch, the white demon currently trapped in a bottle on the drawer of Merlin's desk, was panicking.

"Get out...have...to...GET OUT!!" He yelled and kept throwing himself against the glass of the bottle.

But in his shrunken state there wasn't much power behind that push of his at all.

He knew what awaited him if he stayed within the castle.

"Soon...SOON...HAVE TO GET OUT!" He shouted and kept trying to break free.

Unfortunately the demons distressed cries could not breach the bottle's thick layer of glass.

Meliodas had been so caught up with Gaharch when he found him that he hadn't even noticed the 2 other white demons who had barely managed to get out before Meliodas turned that corner.

Gaharch and his companions were merely a scouting team, to gather intel on where who would be, and when.

They had reported that the dinner time was probably the best time to attack.

No one would see it coming.


	14. Chapter 13

**Third person POV-**

It had all happened so fast...only 3 days after Meliodas got the message from Zeldris Liones castle was attacked...

It had been when dinner time was only beginning, and Meliodas hadn't made it to the dining hall yet when the attack began.

But when he felt the entire foundation of the castle shake he knew something was terribly wrong.

And then he heard the screaming, and the explosions.

He didn't even have time to think before his legs carried him with light-speed to the dining hall.

Shattered glass and rubble laid everywhere, a small fire was burning in one half of the room.

Warriors were bravely trying to fight off the demons who had attacked, which were only colored demons, which meant they weren't high ranked, but those trying to fend them off still had a hard time.

Meliodas should probably go and help immediately, but fear had gripped his heart, and taken over his brain, so he he could do was scan the room for Elizabeth.

Then he saw her.

"Elizabeth!" He shouted out, panicked as he saw her unconscious on the ground, bleeding from the head.

As he got closer, and held her in his arms he could see that she had probably been knocked out by a piece of flying rubble just when the fighting begun, but her life wasn't in danger as the wound in her head was relatively shallow.

Those not fighting was trying their best to rescue others, so knowing that Elizabeth would be fine he handed her to a knight who would be able to get her out safely.

With Elizabeth safe, he could stop this...

His clothes ripped as he let his darkness leak out, the overwhelming presence alerting the attacking demons.

'Do they really think they have a chance against me?' Meliodas thought darkly.

While high ranking demons like Meliodas controlled the darkness, the lower ranked demons such as the red, grey and copper demons are controlled by the darkness.

In other words Meliodas had the power to control the demons that was not attacking. At least to a certain degree...

It wasn't something he normally liked to do, as it reminded him too much of the way his father had ruled.

But just this once, he would do it.

"Stand down!!" Meliodas's booming and demanding voice echoed through the room.

And some of the demons immediately stooped their assault to whimper like hurt puppies, while other demons fought against his control and continued I fight, though without nearly as much drive as they had just a few seconds ago.

Meliodas wrath grew, and he began to think if rebels such as these...anyone who would hurt Elizabeth, deserved his mercy.

"Fine...everyone out of the way!" Meliodas shouted to alert everyone else currently fighting the demons.

Everyone followed his instructions, not quite sure of what he was gonna do, but sure that they didn't want to feel it.

Meliodas quickly spin around and took a sword out of a knights grip, whereas he swung the sword towards the horde of demons.

"One thousand Devine cuts!!" He shouted the name of his attack as purple flames from the depth of purgatory followed the trajectory of the swords swing.

Roars of pain sounded from the demons who felt the direct hit, but some had been sheltered by others and was still up fit a fight.

Seeing this meliodas ran forward, easily avoiding every attack sent his way, while simultaneously dealing the finishing blows to the remaining rebels.

The other guests, such as king, ban, and Diane was trying to help out, but also not be in Meliodas's way, so they tried to help, only using long distance attacks.

The battle didn't last long...

In fact it only lasted a couple more minutes.

Obviously the demon rebels never stood a chance...

"Sorry...you're sword got a little dirty" Meliodas said and handed the bloody sword to its original owner.

Nobody could tell what Meliodas was thinking...his bangs covered his eyes, hiding any emotions that might reside there.

His stance was tense, but that was also to be expected after the battle he had just fought.

"Yo...thanks for your help...never imagine we'd be that useless...here I was thinking I was actually pretty strong..." Ban came up and put a hand on Meliodas's shoulder.

He didn't react for a while, but when he did it was only a quiet "you're welcome..."

And so he walked away to help the injured people still laying about.

The chais of the situation hadn't defused completely.

The fire was still burning, the walls and ceiling continued to crumble from its own weight, and people were injured...obviously some more than others.

"Shit!! Shitshitshitshitshit!!" Distressed shouts suddenly sounded, and everyone looked over to see a knight holding a bloodied body.

Those who stood further away couldn't make out who it was, but those who stood closer gasped and feel to their knees.

Without an explanation people quickly cleared way for the knight to carry the body out to get the help they needed.

But who knows...maybe it was already too late.

"Who was that?" People began asking those who had obviously seen.

Meliodas heard the answer...

"It was the princess...Veronica!"

The lump it Meliodas's throat dislodged itself and feel deep into his stomach.

He felt sick.

Veronica might not have like him, but she was Elizabeth's older sister, and despite their recent arguments they loved each other very deeply.

'What if she's dead' Meliodas thought horrified.

'If a demon has killed her sister...how will she look at me?' He continued to think, and had to put a hand to his mouth to not gag.

Elizabeth was so kind, so he knew she probably wouldn't hate him, but would she be reminded of the pain of loosing her sister every time she looked at him?

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Hours later the palace still was a wreck, but everyone was told to go and rest.

Meliodas however refused to rest and he went directly into Merlin's room and opened her desk to pull out the bottle containing Gaharch.

"Now...i have a feeling you've been lying to me" Meliodas Said sadly.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry" Gaharch apologized, scared for his life, but Gaharch was deep down also very relieved. He had thought the entire castle would come down with the attack, apparently he was just as stupid as the others and thought that Meliodas could be taken down just like that.

"Why Liones? Why now!?" Meliodas shouted at the terrified white demon in the bottle.

"Because you were here!! If you were to be defeated now, in Liones, it could start another war..." Gaharch says timidly.

Meliodas was now shaking with anger.

'So they attacked me while i was here for political reasons, hoping that if I died my brother, and those standing with me would blame everyone else and start another war...' Meliodas concluded.

"Scum like you is Exacly why I sides with stigma during the last war" Meliodas says and unintentionally unleashed a wave of killing intent.

If you were wondering if demons can pee from fear, then the answer is yes.

Gaharch is living proof.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

Meliodas continued to interrogate Gaharch for quite a while, but eventually Meliodas knew...

'It's all my fault...'

He had made up his mind...he was gonna leave liones, and leave Elizabeth to live a good life...a life without him.

He could do it, because due to this he had just been informed that the rest of the activities planned had been canceled.

No wonder...no one wants to sit and have a political debate only days after this...

"There's nothing keeping us Here" Meliodas told Merlin, as he was still in her room.

Up until now she had just been sitting in the corner, observing him.

"There's Elizabeth"

"Don't you get it?!" Meliodas shouted, surprising Merlin a slight bit.

"She's better off without me!" He continued.

Merlin knew Meliodas better than most, so she understood exactly how he was feeling being told that the only reason Elizabeth was hurt was to get to Meliodas...it was too much like the way she died all those years ago...he simply couldn't stand it.

"There's a difference between "being better off without you" and "getting hurt because if you"" Merlin stated.

She really didn't have much to say, she knew he had made up his mind.

Now the question was: will he come to regret it later?

"I'm not willing to have either of those be her future" Meliodas said, the anger that had flared up from inside of him just a few minutes ago was being extinguished.

"Talk to her...make her understand why you're breaking her heart" Merlin said, making Meliodas wince.

Sure, he knew what he was doing would break her heart, but that certainly didn't mean it made it easy to be told o bluntly.

Without another word Meliodas slowly got up from the chair at her desk.

He knew he had to talk to her...one last time.

The walk to Elizabeth's new room, aka the room in which she was being treated for her injuries, was depressing.

Not only did Meliodas had to prepare for a heartbreaking conversation, but what he saw on his way didn't exactly brightens us mood either.

Servants was running up and down the hallways with medical supplies, blood was splattered on the floor and there was even some people walking around, looking like mummies, or with minor injuries.

Meliodas felt a sudden need to dirge his stomach when he came face to face with the door leading to Elizabeth's temporarily new room.

He raised his hand to knock, but hesitated.

"Oh demon lord" someone said from behind him, making him turn around.

It was a simple servant. "Are you here to visit the queen?" She continued and Meliodas answered by simply nodding his head, yes.

"I was just on my way in" she said and opened the door without as much as a beat, making Meliodas stiffen.

"M'lady, the demon king is here, shall I let him in?" The servant asked as she continued to stand in the door opening.

"Yes please"

Meliodas winched and squeezed his eyes closed.

The voice was no doubt, Elizabeth's, but it sounded so tired, and so rough, pointing to the fact that she had been injured.

Without another word the servant lead Meliodas inside the room and followed behind.

"Actually Lira, could I speak with him alone?" Elizabeth asked her servant.

"Oh yes of course, M'lady" the servant said, bowed, and then left, closing the door behind her.

"Meliodas?...please...look at me" Elizabeth pleaded kindly.

Meliodas hadn't had the courage to look at her yet, to take in her injuries, but since she asked her slowly raised his eyes till they met hers...or well...the one she showed.

She was covered in band-aids and bandages, the one that stood out was the bandages wrapped around her head, which had already sucked up some of the blood from her head injury.

She smiled sweetly at him when she saw how much he was hurting.

It was showing in his eyes which was always green when he was with her.

She extended her hand to him, indicating that she wanted him to come closer, as he was out of reach.

'One foot in front of the other' Meliodas had so remind himself. If he hadn't he most likely would've tripped himself.

Slowly he walked over and sat down on a chair next to Elizabeth's bed.

Elizabeth raised her ha d and gently cupped his cheek.

"I'm so glad you're okay" she breathed out, her voice shaking.

"I'm the demon king...I can handle that kind of thing" Meliodas laughed. It didn't take a genius to figure out that that laugh was as fake as can be.

"Well how was I supposed to know" Elizabeth laughed with a laugh just as fake.

The room then feel into silence until Elizabeth spoke again.

"Who are we trying to fool?...today has been terrible..."

"Mmhmm" Meliodas just nodded, looking down.

"Meliodas...i'm Sorry...today it-" Elizabeth started, but Meliodas stood up, making the chair fall behind him, and he cupped her cheeks gaining eye contact.

He refused to have her apologize for what happened that day.

" no! No this isn't your fault, you hear me? So don't you dare apologize" Meliodas said

When she remained quiet he knew she didn't believe him.

Not that Meliodas could tell but it wasn't so much the attack itself she blamed herself for...but it was Veronica's injuries.

She hadn't died but she was in a coma, and could very likely die...or just never wake up again.

Meliodas took a deep breath. This was it..

"...it's entirely my fault..and mine alone"

"Your fault? How can it be?" Elizabeth asked, her voice not as quivering as it was mere minutes ago.

"The attack...it was by demons..demons I failed to control...as king I take full responsibility" Meliodas said lowering his head to break the eye contact.

"But they were rebels right? You've told me about them...this was out of your hands"

"Maybe...but they attacked because this was where I was. That won't happen again"

Elizabeth didn't like where this was going.

"What do you mean?"

"...I think it's best that we stop whatever is going on between us...right here, right now"

"No...you can't be serious...don't say nonsense like that" Elizabeth scolded.

She had always known he had to leave at one point, but now that he was she couldn't handle it.

"Please don't leave" Elizabeth begged.

Meliodas loosened his grip on her, and was about to walk away.

Elizabeth felt this, so getting bold she grabbed hold of Meliodas's collar and pulled him into a kiss.

Meliodas wanted to pull away quickly to show that it was over.

But he loved her...so much, and he felt his own heart break by doing this. By leaving her...

He wanted to comfort her, tell her that he would stay, that it was all some kind of sick prank.

But he couldn't...

Loving her meant wanting the best for her, which clearly wasn't being with him.

Slowly he pulled away, but when he looked into her eyes he felt himself drawn in again, almost as if he was put in a trance.

He stopped only millimeters from her lips and instead put his head down under her chin with a sigh.

"Please...don't make this harder for me Elizabeth"

"Don't go..." Elizabeth sobbed.

The tears she had been trying to hold back was now flowing down her cheeks like waterfalls.

All the things he wished he could say...all the things he wished he could do to make her stop crying...he knew it would only make things worse.

They had shared their very last kiss.

And he had told her that he loved her for the very last time...

"I wish you well...M'lady" Meliodas says as coldly as he could manage and stood up despite her attempts to hold onto him.

"I wish for your future...to be a bright one...farewell" Meliodas says and quickly walked out, unintentionally slamming the door hard behind him.

He stood outside the door for a few moments, listening to her sobs on the other side.

"I love you...goodbye" he whispered, as one single tear glided down his cheek.

Her hen began walking as fast as he could back to his quarters to pact the few things he had.

He couldn't wait.

They had to leave today..

No.

Right now!

"Merlin! Get ready, we're leaving!" He shouted as he walked past her the doors to her room.

He knew she would be able to hear him, so he walked straight into his own room and started packing.

"You too, eh?" A familiar voice says as the doors to Meliodas's room slowly opened.

"Arthur?" Meliodas said, surprised to see his nephew at this time.

"Yeah...can I come with you?"

"With me? Merlin can just teleport you back home..."

"Nobody's expecting me to come back yet...it's a...good excuse to go to the demon realm...I know you're probably not in the mood for a vacationer, but I need to-"

"I get it..and of course you can come Arthur...after you you could use some relaxation too I guess" Meliodas smiles as brightly as he could, but his nephew could see that something was off, but he guessed that it was just the recent attack.

Meliodas was surprisingly relieved to here that Arthur would come for a week of vacation. It would help him take his mind off of Elizabeth...he hoped.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**A/N**

**CHAPTER 346 SPOILERS BELOW**

***fangirl mode activated***

**1) can you believe that NNT is actually done?! I know there'll be a sequel**

**But that will follow Arthur and not Mel, so I'm saaaadd.**

**2) TRISTANSTRISTANSTRISTAN!!!!! I can't quite figure out if Tristan is as boy or a girl, cause she/he? looks like a girl, but my pals on tumblr says she/he? Is a boy...HUH?!**

**But either way I'll love Tristan till my heart no longer beats!!!!!**

**#ifanyofyoutouchmybabyiwillmurderyou!**


	15. Chapter 14

**A/N**

**Answer to guest (Anissa): Thank you very much, i'm glad you like the story and is interested in it's development, and yes I have posted it on Wattpad too~**

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX **

**Third person POV-**

"It was a great joy, and honor to have you as a guest here in our kingdom lord Meliodas. I wish you safe travels" Hendrickson, who had escorted Meliodas, Merlin and Arthur to the gates of the city said and bowed slightly to show his respect.

"Thank you Hendrickson, it's much appreciated" Meliodas says with a small smile, as that was all he could muster now..

"Yes, what he said" Arthur said and nudged Meliodas a little with his elbow, and with that the two kings started to head out, but Merlin continued to stand in front of Hendrickson for just a moment longer, looking at him with a unreadable look on her face.

"...lady Merlin..is something-" He Hendrickson started, wanting to ask if something was wrong, but before he could finish Merlin turned on her heels and started to catch up with Meliodas and Arthur, without as much as saying goodbye to the man she had been staring down.

"Oh well" He Hendrickson laughed awkwardly, Merlin did give off that kind of ill mannered mystery wizard so he truly didn't take it that hard.

"Now...onto different matters" Hendrickson muttered, turning around and started to walk towards the old castle...

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

It didn't take long before Merlin teleported them all to the portal that would lead them to the demon realm.

There was a few around the world, done lead to places such as the capital, Tartarus, others would lead to smaller cities or desolate areas.

"It's been moved, hasn't it?" Arthur asked as he stepped through the portal located in the side of a cliff.

"Yes, we moved it a while ago as we found too much wildlife falling through" Meliodas explained as he too stepped through, and then Merlin.

Obviously they had taken the portal leading to the capital where the castle was located.

They found themselves by a cliff on the edge of town that had a striking similarity to the cliff where the portal was located in Britannia.

As they walked through town the townspeople greeted their king, glad to have him back home.

Even children came running up to say their hi's to the king, before running off again, laughing.

Through all this, Meliodas dud his best to act like he was the same as he always was. He didn't even notice the sad glances Merlin and Arthur shared.

While Arthur didn't know why, he knew that his uncle was having a hard time with something, and he didn't like it.

"Well well...who do we have here?" A menacing voice said.

Meliodas groaned as they were practically only steps away from entering the castle grounds...he just wanted to go home...not talk to Bellion of all people...

Meliodas looked around him to see if Bellion had brough the other knights of black.

He had, but they stood in the distance, letting Bellion "handle" Meliodas on his own.

"Bellion...now its really the time" Merlin said sternly, but Bellion didn't seem to care.

"Let the king decide that for himself...are you really as much as a child as you look? Having someone else talk for you" Bellion laughed in the face of the unfazed Merlin, who only reacted by squeezing his eyes closed to avoid Bellion's spit flying at him as he laughed.

"I can assure you I speak for myself" Meliodas says calmly, but tiredly.

"Oh yeah?...THEN SPEAK UP!!" Bellion shouted, louder than ever. He was being agitated by Meliodas's lack of interest.

"I'm really tired after this whole political event...maybe later" Meliodas says and was about to turn away to walk into castle grounds.

"Nuh-uh! You don't get to turn your back to me!" Bellion quickly said and grabbed the collar of Meliodas's jacket, picking him up from the ground.

He was ready to fight.

"This time you don't have your dear friend Gowther to come step in"

Meliodas swiped his hand, almost like he was swiping a fly away, but as the back of his hand met with Bellion's chest Bellion let out a pained sound and was then throw a good 30 meters away, where he collided with a pillar, making it crack and splinter on impact.

Meliodas however landed gracefully on the ground.

"I'll make myself clear Bellion...when Gowther stepped in then, it wasn't because he was protecting me from you...he was protecting you..from me" Meliodas says darkly, only looking back up at Bellion during the last two words.

Bellion had begun staggering back towards Meliodas and the others.

"Oh yeah?! You think you're better than me?! That you're stronger?!" Bellion shouted infuriated as he knew that was exactly what Meliodas was thinking.

"Just...sleep on it...will you?" Meliodas's voice sounded, now from behind Bellion.

Bellion's eyes widened as he realized Meliodas wasn't where he had been standing just one second ago.

Then he was smacked into the ground below, creating a large crater around his body.

Meliodas had hit his neck, so Bellion was completely knocked out.

When the other knights of black noticed this they panicked and ran to him to pick him up so they could flee before Meliodas decided they deserved a punishment worse that the couple of broken bones that Bellion had most definitely sustained.

"I really don't like those six knights of black...especially Bellion..." Someone finally said, breaking the silence that had fallen over the group as they continued to walk into the castle.

It was Arthur.

He remembered them from his childhood...

It was around when Arthur was 12 that Bellion has begun to be as vocal as he was now...he often saw him having heavy debates with Meliodas, about making him part of his court, or at least giving the six knights of black a higher ranking status.

When Meliodas would refuse Bellion would become violent...that's what Arthur remembers clearest about him...his unrelenting anger...

"Didn't expect you to...even my father...the worst of the worst couldn't stand him" Meliodas stated.

Silence fell over he group once more, but it wasn't truly that awkward...it was more of a saddening silence...a silence Meliodas was thankful he was given as he mentally still needed to catch up.

"..We're heading to your office?" Merlin asked, a bit hesitantly.

She could tell from the route they were going.

"Yeah...I want to tell Zel that we're back early.." Meliodas explained, using the nickname Zel for his brother Zeldris.

"Hmm" Merlin simply hummed in understanding, and Arthur nodded, even though Meliodas couldn't see as he was walking in front.

Within few moments they had arrived.

"Zel! It's me your older brother. Merlin and Arthur is with me" Meliodas called as he knocked on the doors that lead to his office, which was now occupied by Zeldris.

The question was: was he even here? Or wood he be somewhere else, like the barracks?

The shuffling and cussing, that was clearly panicked sounded from the other side of the door.

'Yeah he's definitely there' Meliodas thought, unfazed by Zeldris's panic.

Then After a few long moments the door opened, and Meliodas, along with those with him wasn't as...unfazed anymore.

"Excuse me...i will be..taking my leave" Gelda said and skipped out of the office, frantically fixing her messed up hair and dress.

"Dear god..." Meliodas muttered in disbelief as he looked to his brother in the door opening.

"You're home early" Zeldris said clearly sweating.

"Dear god no..." Meliodas muttered once more, and clutched his head as he forcefully walked into the office.

"You...did IT...in MY office?!" Meliodas asked his brother, getting more and more panicked with every word.

"WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!" Zeldris shouted in defense.

His face was just about as red as his outfit.

The only panicked ones was now the brothers, as Merlin tried her best to hold in a small laugh, while Arthur didn't even try and had to lean against the open door as he let every laugh he had in him escape.

"I want that, and that, and that, and that, and ESPECIALLY THAT, thrown in the fire!!" Meliodas says and pointed around the room to various items and furniture.

"Would you cALM DOWN?!" Zeldris shouted.

He was still so incredibly flustered.

"I AM DOWN" Meliodas said, and with that, as if someone had hit him in the head with facts, he saw the humor of the situation and started laughing, though not as much as Arthur.

And for just a few seconds, Meliodas's mind was taken off of Elizabeth.

But as said it only lasted a few seconds.

"Now that...that is settled...why are you home so early" Zeldris asked, hoping the other subject would be forgotten to time.

"First if all: THAT is not settled.

...Second:...well...rebels attacked liones.." Meliodas explained.

The sadness creeped up on him again at the mention of liones and the attack.

"What?! Why would they-"

"They hope that killing me in another country, during a political event would spur on another war...they were idiots, and highly underestimated me...but I wasn't there fast enough...and people got hurt" Meliodas said and fell onto the couch, before quickly remembering the last subject of conversation, whereas immediately stood up.

"Burn" Meliodas whispered to the couch, and then focused his attention baby to zeldris, who didn't seem to see Meliodas's reaction to the couch as he was still taking in Meliodas's words.

"They actually want war...they don't just want you off the throne but tHeY WanT WaR?!" Zeldris asked, his voice rising and rising. Then he took a deep breath before continuing.

"Nobody wants war...not anymore...or so I thought...what's your sauce?" Zeldris asked, turning professional in the blink of an eye as he was prone to do.

"A scout, a white demon, that I caught a few days before the attack...however at that time I...I believed his lies.." Meliodas said regrettably.

'If only I had been more sceptic...I know I couldn't pushed it out of him'

"Don't blame yourself...you can never truly know"

"And i should've taken that into account!" Meliodas says and slammed his fist down onto the table, making a loud bang sound in the room.

"I should've thought that exact though..." he now whispered, tired from the stress and the anger.

"Rest now, brother" Zeldris said, uncharacteristically kind.

"We can talk

This over in the morning when you feel more up to it"

Meliodas wanted to protest, but there truly wasn't any rush, and he knew, so he ended up just giving one tiny nod.

When Meliodas saw that Zeldris was making the move to escort him he stepped out of reach of Zeldris's hold on his shoulder, and smiled to him as kindly as he could muster.

"I'll find my way...spend time with Arthur! He needs it" Meliodas laughed, clearly a fake laugh, but at lest he was trying.

Meliodas then ruffled Arthur's hair on there way out, and he could hear Zeldris's and Arthur's cheerful greeting out from the hallway.

**OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO**

**Bellion's POV-**

A sharp pain is what woke me up, and I immediately sat up in the hard wooden bed that had been provided to me.

"What did he do?!" I shouted angrily at those surrounding me.

I knew the pain I had felt for that split second in my weakening was because of Meliodas.

"Nearly snapped your neck...a human would've immediately died" Galla explained and flung her whip over her shoulder, nearly hitting Derocchio, who was standing behind her.

"Well I'm not a human" I huffed in annoyance and stood up from the rough bed.

"No shit..." Galla muttered under her breath, but I still heard.

She was always the one in the group with the worst attitude...

"what are we gonna do?! What are we gonna do?! Revenge?! Can I spewer him?!" Pump said, suddenly overly exited as he let spiked drenched in poison emerge from his metal-like body.

"Easy pump..." I said with a laugh, pump and I had always been closest despite our different personalities.

What can I say? He's fun to be around.

"There are other ways to get revenge...but not now! We don't have time for such pitiful acts...there's something bigger waiting for us in the horizon" I explained and smirked evilly, and reverted my eyes out the window to gaze at everyone else.

Every demon outside, awaiting orders from me, THEIR ruler.

My rebel army.

**XxXxXxXxXxXxX**

**A/N**

**It's starting to take shape!**

**The plot thickens!**

**Told ya I had something waiting!...something dramatic!**

**jazz hands***

**I had to bring in a bit of humor using zeldris and Gelda though! And it was really hard to write, even though it doesn't really says anything descriptive.**

**I'm the innocent one in my group so it's so out of character for me!! XD XD XD**


	16. Chapter 15

**Third person POV-**

"I can't believe you-" Arthur started but was immediately cut off by his uncle, Zeldris.

"Alright alright alright you've had your laugh! It's not that of a big deal!" The embarrassed Zeldris continued to try and defuse the situation, which he practically already knew would be a futile attempt.

"Not that big of a deal you say? The renovation will cost quite a lot" Merlin teased, hanging onto the thought of burning down the entire room.

"STOP" Zeldris screeched, Making Arthur fall into another fit of laughter.

It was at that moment that Arthur's eye caught eye of an old wooden picture frame, standing on the sofa table.

suddenly the subject of his uncle's sex life was forgotten.

The picture in the frame wasn't the family pictures Arthur was used to seeing, but it was a sketch...a quite beautiful sketch if he might say so himself.

It was of who he recognized to be the queen of Liones, Elizabeth, but as he stepped closer he saw quite a few things that didn't add up.

'Her hair...and is that...wings?'

"Uncle Zel...what's this?" Arthur asked and lifted the picture for his uncle to see better.

Obviously Arthur wanted his uncle to tell him about the woman in the picture, but that isn't what he did, maybe because he was still a bit shaken up by their previous conversation.

"Oh, I moved it over there since it felt a bit wrong to have a picture of my brothers deceased lover on the desk I'm working at" Zeldris explained nonchalantly.

Merlin however massaged her temples.

She knew people were to find out one day, but this was just painful.

Arthur froze at his uncle's answer.

He then began remembering a time when he was little, how he had walked in to see his uncle Meliodas cry one night.

He had been so small and innocent he just began asking questions, confused as to why his strong uncle would ever cry...that was the first time he heard of her...

Meliodas never mentioned a name...he just mentioned an aunt that Arthur unfortunately never got to meet..

the memory of that conversation dwindled over time, but now it reappeared.

"But it's...Elizabeth" Arthur said still confused as to why the woman in the picture, his presumed "aunt" looked like the queen of Liones.

"Yes, that was her name" Zeldris continued to answer Arthur's questions, never really catching on.

"Elizabeth of the goddesses...have we never told you about her?" Zeldris asked suddenly confused.

"No I mean! It's Elizabeth Liones! The queen of Liones!!"

"Huh? Queen of liones? No it's-"

"This is just painful to watch and hear, so let me explain it to you" Merlin butted in, not willing to deal with the headache that would most definitely come if she didn't stop their back and forth talk.

"That woman in the picture frame is Elizabeth of the goddesses who died 300 years ago...and Elizabeth Liones, the current ruler of the kingdom Liones is her reincarnation" Merlin explained nonchalantly.

Both Arthur and Zeldris was shell shocked, having their jaws hang open wide, but Arthur was the first one to speak up.

"Reincarnation?! Like...like- really?!" He just stuttered, not able to figure out what it was he wanted to ask.

"Yes, her personality, body, voice...right down to her love for Meliodas...it's all there.." Merlin explained, her nonchalant attitude towards the subject had suddenly changed to a more sad one.

Now Arthur began understanding why his uncle had been so down since leaving Liones.

And Zeldris began to quickly put the pieces together, and he didn't like the image he saw when he did.

"That's bad" Zeldris said seriously and he stroked his chin, looking like a wise man stroking his beard.

"Bad? Why?! It's a perfect chance for him to be happy again! To be with her!" Arthur said and jumped a bit out of excitement.

"She got injured when the rebels attacked...didn't she?" Zeldris guessed, and Merlin answered simply by nodding once.

"That means he won't...Brother is an idiot...a loving idiot, who will do whatever he seems fit to protect those he loves...there's a reason you're home this early after all"

"I don't get it" Arthur said confused, and scratched the back of his head.

"Meliodas will think being with her will only put her in harms way, and he thinks not being with her AT ALL will be the better option" Zeldris says and shook his head a bit sadly at his brothers way of thinking.

As brothers their love life was something they had often discussed, especially after a few drinks, and Meliodas had voiced these kind of thoughts to Zeldris before.

It was quite the dilemma, because while everyone around Meliodas wanted him to be happy, which he could only truly be with Elizabeth, they understood the fear of loosing the person whom you love, which Meliodas has already had to go through once.

For that reason Arthur didn't know what to say, so he just continued to look at the picture in the frame.

'If uncle Meliodas has never truly been happy...gosh then I'd love to see when he is' Arthur thought, remembering how cheery, fun and kind his uncle Meliodas had always been, but if that was all an act, how would he act when he was truly...TRULY happy?!

* * *

**-In Liones-**

"Heh...I remember reading a book about a girl in coma who could hear everything going on around her" Elizabeth said and she held onto her older sister, Veronica's cold hand.

"But real life isn't like the books is it? If it was then he...he.." Elizabeth words stopped flowing as she thought of Meliodas.

'How could I have been so stupid?!' She thought to herself in distress.

Maybe a part of her had hoped that it would be like a fairy tale, that it was true genuine love that neither of them could possibly let go of...but apparently he could...and he did, that's why she was here now...alone.

"Maybe I should've done as you said and kept my distance...yeah...if I'd done that then...then I wouldn't be hurting right now" Elizabeth says and clenched her fist over her heart.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you.." Elizabeth apologized to Veronica, hoping that she's sit up in her bed in victory...but she didn't. She didn't move an inch, in fact she hadn't ever seen she was put in a coma.

Of you didn't know you'd truly believe that she was dead, and that thought alone nearly broke Elizabeth.

Elizabeth continued to sit by her sisters side till nightfall, all that time Elizabeth had just spoken to her, mostly about Meliodas, but now she was growing tired, so she swiped away Veronica's bangs and kissed her on the forehead before leaving the room.

Elizabeth was now walking quietly back to her own cozy room, and not that medical room she had had to stay in the day before.

Then out of the corner of her eye she saw something. A shadow.

After everything that had just transpired Elizabeth had every right to be a bit paranoid and she knew, so she quickened her face to not completely loose whoever is was she was trailing. She couldn't see them after all, she could only see the slightly transparent shadow, and hear their footsteps.

She herself tried her best to walk on the tip of her shoes to not make too much noise.

"Is someone there?!" An accusing voice sounded from whoever she was following.

Elizabeth stiffened one fear and looked to see if there was a place to hide. There wasn't.

Then they turned the corner and she saw who it was she had been trailing.

"Oh sir Hendrickson!" She sayd, surprised to see that she had in fact been trailing the grand master.

"Lady Elizabeth!? Excuse my rudeness, I didn't think it was you" he apologized since he has sounded quite rough as he had called out only moments earlier.

"Oh there's no need to apologize, I guess everyone is a bit on edge lately" Elizabeth said and smiled sadly, but still kindly at him.

"Yes certainly...was that why..you were following me?" Hendrickson asked a bit hesitantly, as he still didn't understand what that was about, but he didn't want to insult the queen either.

"Yes, I'm sorry...I saw a shadow out of the corner of my eye and instantly grew wary"

"As you said earlier, there no need to apologize. In fact I'm glad you took up the initiative and followed me, I what if I hadn't been me...wait no, that sounded weird" Hendrickson started explaining but grew a bit timid as he realized what he says maybe didn't make sense.

Elizabeth giggled lightly at his struggle, most of all because she did in fact understand.

"No no I understand, I'm very happy that you look at it that way"

"Oh I see, that's a relief. Well I better get going, I was on my way to an important meeting with an...old friend of mine" Hendrickson explained. He had to use a moment to find the right words, but his happy demeanor never wavered.

"Oh I'm which case I'm sorry to have kept you" Elizabeth says, now a bit embarrassed.

She folded her hands nodded kindly as a way of saying he was free to go.

"No No it's alright. Sleep well lady Elizabeth" Hendrickson says as he began walking away.

Elizabeth hadn't moved from that spot in the middle of the hallway for a few moments, in her gut she could feel that something was wrong, but due all that was holy she couldn't figure out what.

In the end she had to convince herself that it was just the paranoia and lingering trauma of these recent events.

What she didn't know what that something was indeed wrong, and it would only continue to get worse once Hendrickson met up with his supposed "old friend"

* * *

"You're late, Hendrickson" said a dark voice emerging from the shadows of a conference room that currently wasn't being lit up by torches, but Hendrickson knew who it was...he really didn't have many options to guess from.

"I was held up...after all you told me not to let anyone follow me... so I made sure..." Hendrickson explained as he lit a match and began lighting a torch, only one however.

He couldn't let anyone know he had had a secret meeting, but they did need lighting, and nobody would notice that only one tour he was slightly more burned down that the others.

"Someone followed you!!?" The voice, now angry, said through clenched teeth.

"Of course not...I- I made sure their attention was directed away from me. Told them I'd be meeting an old friend" Hendrickson explained as he began to shake, the other presence in the room was almost too much for him, it makes it especially harder since he'd a Druid, and his blood is yelling at him to get away from this dark creature. This...demon.

"You better not screw this up Hendrickson, after everything I've done for you, after all the time and energy I have put into this plan! After my comrades sacrificed themselves during that attack the other day!" The voice ranted, getting louder and louder until the voice echoed off the walls in the room.

"Of course not, I would never let anything, nor anyone get in the way of our goal...l-lord Bellion" Hendrickson stammered our, incredibly intimated by the powerful demons anger towards him.

Hendrickson might be the grand master of Liones but he knew that he didn't stand a chance if Bellion was to try and kill him here and now.

But he wouldn't, after all the time and energy Bellion used on converting a human, a Druid, a grandmaster, all in one, to their side was simply too much to go through all over again.

"Good... one week Hendrickson, that's all you've got. They better be ready" Bellion growled.

"Don't worry. With the blood you and your soldiers have provided us with, I assure you, I and the next generation of holy knights will not fail you" Hendrickson promised and bowed in respect for the demon standing before him.

Bellion simply scoffed at Hendrickson and jumped out the window to take his leave.

Hendrickson never saw Bellion activate his dark wings so he imagined that Bellion had landed safely on the ground.

It's took a couple of minutes for Hendrickson to get out of the room, still partially paralyzed from being in Bellion's presence.

This is what Hendrickson wanted, it was what he had asked for.

Power...

He would be able to get power this way, even if the road there might be a little scary, and even thought people might die it will be worth it...for him...he was all that mattered in his own little world.

Acting like he's a good, nice and righteous knight while in fact he had helped to plan that attack the other day, and he had told the scouts to lie if they were to be captured.

Which one had. The white demon, Gaharch.

Gaharch had explained to Meliodas and Merlin that the demons attacked in order to kill Meliodas so another war would break out.

That was a lie. At least partially...

The demons did in truth attack in order for the political meeting to be canceled, so that everyone would go home to their respected territory, including Meliodas. And maybe people would even loose their trust in the kingdom of liones after such a scandal.

Liones would be left to their demise during the next attack...but the plan wasn't for a Liones to become a ruin, no the true plan was quite unique.

Bellion wanted a kingdom to rule...he could never be the demon king so he'd just take another kingdom, already strong, but not strong enough for him to not be able to take over, and then slowly he'd build it up so it could compete with Meliodas's forces.

And THEN war would break out again.

Honestly Hendrickson didn't care about that plan in itself. He was just you faking with it because that was his way of getting power, and after being such a great help him and the demons had struck a deal that he could leave Liones to start another life once the demons would take over.

Where that would that be?

Hendrickson was still deciding..

* * *

**A/N**

**Okay so hear me out!**

**By making the new gen by using blood from the six knights of black the next gen would be SOOOO MUCH stronger than they were in the actual series.**

**Like: remember how powerful Hendywas in canon after taking in the gray demon's blood, who's power level is as 2,700-3,200.**

**So imagine taking in the blood of someone who's power level varies from 26,000-58.000. Yeah that's song STROOONG next gen. But it also means that there might be fewer of them since a higher number of them died from taking on such power in one split second (Like in canon).**

**Ps. I really love Hendrickson being a good guy again in canon, but his plan with the demon blood and plainly just the way he acted as a villain was too good to pass up for this story.**


	17. Chapter 16

**Third person POV-**

**-5 months later-**

_(SORRY)_

After months of suppression Elizabeth had managed to escape the kingdom she once viewed as her home, and she still did, but not the way it was right now, run over by demons.

She had affectively been thrown off the thrown and then thrown in prison along with everyone else of the royal family.

It was incredible what plans the human mind can come up with after months in isolation as Elizabeth had experienced.

She knew they couldn't afford for her to die for some reason, and she would use that to her advantage, but she had to be patient, so she laid down on the ground, not her bed, in her dirty cell.

A guard would do a check routine in about an hour, and Elizabeth was fairly sure she could fool this particular stupid guard into thinking that she was either passed out or dead. Really it would be no wonder if she was either when you look at what they had been feeding her.

When the guard noticed her on the ground and couldn't get in contact with her he freaked out and immediately opened the cell door to go in and inspect her.

Seeing this as her only chance Elizabeth immediately got up, roundhouse kicked the demon in the face making him fall up against the wall, then she stole his keys, ran outside and locked him in the cell.

The hard part was far from over though, as she now had to find a way to get out of the kingdom and find help.

She knew that the demons had taken control of everything and everyone, even the formerly honorable knights, but that also meant that there was still humans walking around in full sets of armor.

Knowing this Elizabeth quickly dressed up in one of the armors standing did decoration in one of the halls. It was heavy and would no doubt do no good for her fatigue which was already low due to her new diet of mostly moldy bread and and water.

After escaping from the castle grounds it was easier to get out than she had first expected.

She merely threw herself in a cart of hay and hid until she was out.

Those series of events are the reason Elizabeth is now walking around in the wilderness.

She knew who she wanted to find. Meliodas.

since he was the demon king he would probably be able to help her with her demon problems back in Liones.

But she had no idea how to find a portal to the demon realm...that is until she spotted a gray demon in a forest nearby.

Elizabeth was starved, dehydrated and tired beyond compare, which might partially be the armors fault.

'If a demon is here...that means that a portal must be close' Elizabeth thought, remembering that Meliodas told her that due to the demon clan practically going into hiding they never ventured too far from the portals.

But she was too scared to approach the demon as her fear for demons had definitely spiked after being treated so horribly by them when they took over Liones. So she just made sure to watch the demon while being hidden in the thicket, then she would follow it back to the portal when it went there.

* * *

Hours went by as the demon was out seemingly collecting berries and other food from the surrounding forest, as good like that didn't grow in the demon realm.

Elizabeth was still hiding in the wide thicket, making sure to never every her eyes from the demon.

Then finally it seemed like the demon was done, but it still didn't make a move to walk on a certain direction. Instead it slowly glanced around it to see if anyone or anything was around, then when it confirmed it was alone it grasped the amulet it had around its neck.

"Atagho misthaya gotrayo ma" it mumbled in a different language, a language Elizabeth had heard the demons of in the palace use when they spoke to each other.

Suddenly a black and purple portal opened before the demon and it went in.

Elizabeth knee this was her only chance so she hurried out of the thicket and flung herself in after the demon without a second thought.

Elizabeth was quite sure she blacked out for a second and when she came to she was falling, and she was hurting.

Even though the big armor she was wearing should be protecting her, it was as if the very air that was pushing against her was tearing at her.

Then, with something that can only be explained as explosive pain, she made impact with something, and crashed straight through it.

'Did I...fall on a rooftop?' Elizabeth though has she quirked into the foster position, trying to squirm away from the pain enveloping her body.

Her ears were ringing, and yet she was able to hear the running footsteps and the panicked voices around her, asking someone to get someone to help.

But then the voices started to fade, and slowly her already blurry vision turned black...until there was nothing.

The void she had fallen into felt like it was inescapable.

When she came to she was met with a blinding white light so bright that she had to squeeze her eyes closed the moment she opened them.

She tried to bring her hand up to rub her eyes, but when she moved a surge of pain went through her, and it was then that she remembered that she had traveled to the demon realm, and she had fallen and had been hurt.

How seriously hurt she was, she couldn't quite say though.

"Easy Elizabeth...you're okay" a soothing voice told her.

She immediately recognized his voice, and tears began forming in the corners of her eyes.

"Meli...o...das.." she whispered.

Her throat was sore and her voice was rusty.

"I'm right here" he said again, and she felt him gently take a hold of her hand.

She could feel that the contact wasn't direct, and that she was wearing a kind of bandages.

"Help..." she whispered, remembering why she had even went to the demon realm to begin with.

"It's okay Elizabeth...you're safe"

No...he misunderstood.

"You p-..promised..."

"What?...what did I promise you?"

"You said...you said th-that no matter...no matter who...and when..you'd h-..help..." she pushed out...even after such a short sentence she was out of breath.

She wasn't only hurt, she was also overly exhausted after her long journey.

"Yeah..I did promise that..didn't I?..." Meliodas asked rhetorically.

He was beginning to realize that something was wrong, but seeing her in such pain after saying so little he didn't want to push her just yet...

"We'll talk about this later...rest" he commanded, and let go of her hand, ready to leave the room.

"No!" She says loudly, a surge of pain went through her chest and she began gasping for her breath.

"Elizabeth, hey...it's okay...it's okay..." he says soothingly and grabbed her hand again, stroking it gently.

Knowing that he was still there with her, Elizabeth quickly calmed down.

"Don't lea-leave me...a-again.."

"...rest Elizabeth...I'll stay here till you fall asleep"

Elizabeth didn't want to rest, she wanted to scream at him to help her and her kingdom, but her body was screaming for rest.. and so she gave in.

She was out in a matter of seconds.

Meliodas kept his promise and stayed till he was sure she was okay, but as soon as he knew he gently stroked her bruised cheek before leaving the room.

"Is she Alright? Well..I know she isn't alright per say but-" Zeldris asked but was cut off when he saw his brother step out of the room.

Even thought Zeldris didn't have the same ties to Elizabeth as his brother he was still worried, because she was important to his brother, so she was important to him as well.

"She'll survive" Meliodas simply said, having cut Zeldris off.

He leaned against the wall next to the room Elizabeth was resting in and ran a hand through his wild hair. He was still trying to get his head around it all.

He had had a perfectly normal day, doing paperwork and spending his break with Ishide and Lilinda, but then chaos erupted when Zeldris ran into Meliodas's office with the news that a small village nearby had reported a human girl falling through a portal.

Hearing the report of what had happened and how the human girl looked.

Silver hair, fair skin, she was wearing a black body suit under a set of heavy armor and she had a blue earring in her left ear.

It couldn't be chance, so Meliodas ordered for the human girl to be sent to the palace for the best treatment, and for him to keep an eye on her, though he didn't tell anyone that last part.

"Why do you think she's here? They says she fell through a portal that a farmer opened in the forest of white dreams, it a forest known for it's beasts, why would she be there?" Zeldris asked, just as everyone else he was still very confused on the matter.

So was Meliodas but he did have a few theories.

"Elizabeth isn't your typical princess, she knows how to handle herself...she's strong..." Meliodas stated as he slowly began to walk away.

Zeldris followed.

"So you think she just went out to hunt?!" Zeldris asked sarcastically, he didn't believe that was the case, especially since he had seen the armor she was wearing.

"I'll ask her when she wakes up" Meliodas answered and picked up his pace, there wasn't need for that though as Zeldris immediately stopped in his tracks and just stood and stared at his brothers back as he walked further and further away.

"How you must be hurting, brother.."

Meliodas didn't stop walking till he reached the room where the farmer that opened the portal Elizabeth fell through was waiting in.

"Are you Belaver?" Meliodas asked the gray demon as he stepped into the room where the gray demon was patiently waiting.

"Yes" Belaver said simply and nodded. She was clearly intimidated by standing before her king.

"I can see you're nervous, but let me reassure you there's no reason to be" Meliodas said, putting on his best smile. By the simple reassuring he could see that Belaver was already a bit calmer.

"I merely want to know what you saw go down" Meliodas Continued and took a seat at a long table and mentioned for Belaver to do the same on the other side of the table, which she hesitantly did.

"Well...I was out collecting berries and other goods from the woods. I'm a certified farmer so I..I have one of these" Belaver paused to show the amulet she had around her neck.

Meliodas nodded in understanding as that was a normal thing for farmers to have has they often had to go between the realms.

"I was out doing my regular routine and throughout the white day nothing seemed off. But as always I looked around before opening the portal, I did g notice anyone of anything that might fall through with me. But I'm not good at sending others presence.

So I stepped through, and immediately activated my wings as I open the portal just above my home, then I saw her fall through, it happened so fast...then she hit the roof of my house and went straight through..At least that awful armor shielded her little from that impact...my sister was the first one to come to her aid as she was in the house...I'm sorry if it isn't of much help" Belaver continued as she fiddled with her amulet.

Meliodas rubbed his eyes.

It wasn't really of much help as all, just as Belaver presumed, but one thing dud become clearer.

And that was that Belaver hadn't seen Elizabeth despite checking.

A part of Meliodas had believed that Belaver had maybe activated the portal in a panic. Perhaps if she got attacked, or simply scared by a human presence and that Elizabeth had simply then fallen in along with her...but the logical side of him told him that couldn't be the case. He knew something was up...truly the biggest indicated was Elizabeth's outfit..that torn bodysuit and the rusty and heavy armor...and she asked him for help right when she woke up...

"Thank you Belaver..it isn't much but it is something" Meliodas said as he stood up and reached his hand over the table to shake her hand, which in reality was about 5 times his size, so who shook who's hand is up for debate.

"I'm glad to hear it...but just to be sure...I'm not in trouble?" Beloved asked as she too stood up after having shaken hands with the king.

"No not at all, I know this was all a unfortunate accident" Meliodas says kindly and mentioned for the guard to escort Belaver to the gates.

Meliodas say harshly down on the chair again, put his elbows on the table and his head in his hands.

'Nothing seems easy anymore...'

* * *

**A/N**

**I'm sorry for the time skip as I feel like I didn't set the last chapter properly up for it.**

**But I dk this because I like to make my stories like an anime would be set up, so the complete backstory is explained later.**

**C'mon! That is how anime scenes are set up!**


	18. Chapter 17

**W A R N I N G:**

**Implied rape.**

**(Nothing explicit, it's simply implied that something like that may have happened)**

**Third person POV-**

"Mrs Elizabeth, you need to eat something..." one of the demon nurses told the awakened queen of liones.

The nurse that Elizabeth had come to known was named Lizanna was holding a teaspoon of some kind of soup up for Elizabeth to eat, but surprisingly Elizabeth had no appetite.

"Where's Meliodas?" Elizabeth simply asked and turned her head away from the soup.

Lizanna sighed and sat the soup in the bed side table fit the moment, she knew she wasn't gonna Elizabeth to eat at this very moment.

"The king is currently busy with different matters" Lizanna answered simply.

Just as most others she wasn't aware of the relationship Elizabeth and Meliodas had.

"I want to speak to him" Elizabeth pushed.

"Mrs Elizabeth, that-"

"Please...can you tell him"

"Tell him that you want to talk with him? Or is it perhaps something else you want me to tell him?" Lizanna asked, she didn't have any problem with simply throwing in a small message from Elizabeth since she was already supposed to deliver Meliodas a rapport on how she was doing.

"Tell him I want to speak to him regarding the attack that happened that night...the day before he left" Elizabeth said quietly, but Lizanna heard every word.

She wasn't exactly sure what it was about but she wasn't gonna stick her nose in things that wasn't her business, so she simply nodded.

"I'll tell him on one condition" Lizanna said, making Elizabeth turn her head towards her with a questioning look.

Lizanna's face now morphed into a soft smile. She nodded towards the soup on the bed side table.

"Eat" Lizanna said simply, but kindly.

Elizabeth couldn't help the tiny smile that found its way into her face.

She gave a small nod, took the soup, then she hesitated.

"What kind of soup is this?" Elizabeth asked, she knew that the farm life and plants in the demon realm wasn't exactly what she was used to.

"Chicken. The king was very strict on the fact that you should have something you we're at least familiar with" Lizanna answered.

The thought made Elizabeth feel happier than she had been for a long time. But it only lasted a second.

Elizabeth blowed slightly on the soup to cool it off before putting it into her mouth. It was then that Elizabeth noticed just how hungry she had actually been.

Sure, the soup wasn't exactly delicious, but in some kind of way...it was.

Lizanna smiled at the queen scarfing down her soup before heading out to give a rapport and a message to the king.

* * *

"Thank you Lizanna, it's really good to know" Meliodas thanked them nurse who had just finished reporting to him.

Elizabeth was already to the road to recovery.

Meliodas had through the nurse would leave with that, but she kept standing there, a big awkwardly.

"Anything else?" He asked, guessing that there was.

"Yes...mrs. Elizabeth begged me to ask you to talk with her. Regarding an attack that happened the day before you left liones, my lord..."

Meliodas stiffened, but then left out a deep sigh.

He knew he couldn't avoid he'd forever.

"...fine...you can have the time it takes off Lizanna. I'll call for you when we're done.." Meliodas and started gridding towards the room Elizabeth was staying in.

Lizanna was honestly a little surprised that the king would take his time on such a matter, but she just shrugged happy to have some time off.

* * *

"Elizabeth, it's me. I'm coming in" Meliodas said faster having knocked on Elizabeth's door a couple of times.

He walked in to see Elizabeth up and standing, but just barely.

She was leaning up against the wall and panting.

"Idiot! What do you think you're doing out of bed?!" He scolded as he quickly ran over to her, and before she could say a word he was carrying her in bridal style back to her bed.

"I need you help, oh god Meliodas please! Please I- I-.." Elizabeth said in between pants.

Meliodas knew what this was...

"Shhh it's okay Elizabeth, you're having a panic attack. Just breathe with me okay?" Meliodas sayd soothingly as he laid her down on the bed, she Sydney lay down however, big hurried her face into his chest.

Meliodas stroked her hair as he began taking deep breaths before exhaling. Just as he had asked her to Elizabeth tried to mimic their breathing, but it was hard since it dealt like she couldn't breath at all.

When her panic attack faced her tears began to flow.

She'd had panic attacks before, ever since she was a child, however as she became an adult she had fewer and fewer, but ever since this while demon catastrophe she had had multiple, but it had been such a long time since she had been comforted through one of them, as she was mostly just left to suffer in her cell.

"What happened?" Meliodas asked softly, not daring to move away from her.

"I was-..was t-thing of-of w-what to say! I-...I can't...I can't do it anymore! I c-can't take it!" Elizabeth said in between sobs.

"Shhh, breathe Elizabeth" Meliodas reminded hero not wanting her to fall head first into another panic attack.

"It was all-..all a-a trick! They c-came back when you left!"

Meliodas stiffened at what she said.

"Who are "they"?"

"The d-demons! The-..the s-six knights o-of black!"

Meliodas felt his blood boil.

"Elizabeth, if you're up fit it, will you please tell me everything that's happened" he says as he pulled away slightly to cub her face we look her in the eye.

Elizabeth's heart hurt all the more as she looked into his emerald eyes, so she squeezed her eyes shut and nodded.

"It all-...it just happened so fast..one second I was h-having tea with my uncle, the other I was sending troops of knights to fend of armies of demons..we hadn't thought demons such as Bellion and his 5 other knights would be amongst them...or had we thought they had turned Hendrickson against us...we were the losers of that battle from the beginning...at one point tv everything turned black...when I woke up I was laying in a dirty cell in the dungeon...naked and bruised" the longer Elizabeth talked the more steady her voice became, but it was almost as if she became void of emotion...like whatever had happened had scared her enough for her to not even care about it...

Meliodas's blood was nearly booing over.

Then he replayed her explainstion in his head once more and there was one thing...one thing in particular that made his heart stop.

"Excuse me did you say...naked?"

"Mmhmm...I don't know why..I could never find out if anyone actually..." she cut herself off, but surprisingly then continued. "But there's a big chance that's the case...right?"

'I'll kill them! Ill kill Bellion! No! I'll kill them all!' It had been a long time since Meliodas had been so angry. He didn't even notice that he was leaking his killer intent until Elizabeth started whining like she was about to start crying again.

At that moment his anger was pushed to the back of his mind.

All he felt now was guilt.

'I left her to that fate...' the horrific truth squirmed it's way into his mind.

"Oh gosh Elizabeth...I...I'm so so sorry...I'm so sorry...Elizabeth.." Meliodas said, it was as if he was falling into a trance...no. More like a horrific nightmare. Except for that fact that it was all so very real.

He wrapped his arms tightly around her.

He no longer cared about the promise he made himself to I longer have a relationship with her. She needed him right now, and there was no way he was gonna refuse to help her through it.

"It's not your fault...but..will you please help me? Help me save my kingdom?"

"You don't even need to ask...of course I Will...No matter what or who will stand in my Way I'll fix this. I swear"

"We will fix this" Elizabeth Said, pitting emphasis on the "we".

Meliodas knew how she must've been feeling. She was always so selfless so of course she'd want to help save her kingdom...her people.

"Elizabeth you're hurt...I really doubt you know how much...you could've died.." he finally told her. The height she had fallen from, and the harsh impact with the roof was too much for her body, not to mention the fact that the demon realm wasn't made for humans.

If he, the demon king hadn't cast a spell over he'd allowing her to survive the harsh environment of this realm she would already be dead.

"Yeah that's what I assumed...but I'll heal, I know planning this won't just take a couple of days...by the time it's all ready I will be as well" she says confidently.

She was right, and he knew it, it could take up to a couple of weeks to plan the attack as it could very well lead to a full blown war. It would be even worse if the demons had somehow recruited more humans than just Hendrickson, which still confused Meliodas.

'Hendrickson seemed like such a kind man...guess that was all just an act'

"Elizabeth...I can't...loose you" 'not again'

"Dummy, you won't loose me. Now I know what I'm up against, give me some armor that fits and a sword and I'll show you" she joked.

He couldn't help but be amazed that she was suddenly in a good mood again.

"You meant you want to spar?"

"When I'm healthy enough to, yeah...I thought you knew I'm not some stereotypical queen that only knows how to drink tea and stamp papers" she pouted.

"Of course I know..." he whispered and moved a stand of hair away from her face.

'Gosh I love this woman'

* * *

"So she's alright?"

"What did I just tell you?" Elizabeth giggled at Meliodas's antics.

"That she's alright, I just wanna be sure"

"Veronica. Is. Alright" Elizabeth said pausing between each word.

Meliodas had still felt horribly guilty about what happened to Veronica that day, luckily she came out of her coma shortly after, but of course Veronica and Elizabeth hadn't seen each other since the demons took over, so in fact she didn't know if she was alright anymore, and that thought suddenly turned her sad once more.

After a quick "thank goodness" meliodas noticed that Elizabeth's mood had changed once more.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked her kindly.

"I haven't seen anyone..not my sisters, my uncle..my friends..nobody since the demons took over...I can't help but wonder what's happened to all of them.."

Meliodas decided not to say anything like "I'm sure they're fine" because he had no idea. Nor did he have any idea how weak they were, maybe some of them was even killed during the first attack?

Meliodas prayed not.

He ended up not saying anything at all, he just kissed the top of her head, having given up on holding himself back.

Elizabeth looked up at him, a bit surprised. But when she looked into his eyes that surprised expression turned loving instead. She leaned up a bit until they're lips connected. Meliodas made no moves to protest, instead he leaned in too, pressing harder against her.

The kiss was innocent and short but it held a great meaning.

"I missed you" she told him as she Mmmm they separated.

"I'm sorry for ever leaving.."

"Why did you?"

"Didn't I tell you?" He asked suddenly fearing that he didn't tell her that it was in order to protect her.

"Hm, you just started going on about his the attack that evening has been your fault..."

"Elizabeth...I left so that something like that would never happen to you again...I did it to protect you" he said softly, hoping that she would understand.

"But they did attack again...even though you wasn't there..." Elizabeth mumbled and turned her head away from him. She didn't seem angry, but she certainly wasn't happy either.

"I'm sorry...I didn't think this was their plan" Meliodas whispered his apology and snuggled into Elizabeth's silver hair.

Elizabeth let out a sigh, but didn't turn to look at him. "I know" she said, and he could feel her nod.

Silence fell over the room room for a few minutes before Meliodas decided to break it.

"I should go inform everyone of this...we need to start planning immediately. And you...you rest up, okay? The more rest you get the quicker you'll heal, and then we can have that spar" Meliodas said, chuckling at the last part.

Finally Elizabeth turned towards him with a small smile, she nodded and let out a small "thank you".

He then kissed her on the nose before darting out the door.

Elizabeth was left alone to ponder over Meliodas's words.

"Elizabeth...I left so that something like that would never happen to you again...I did it to protect you" is what he had said.

He had already told her that he loved her, so it kind of made sense, but Elizabeth couldn't help but think that there was something he wasn't telling her.

'He feel in love with me over only a few days too' she thought, but blushed when she remembered that that was all it took for her to fall in love with him too.

And while she had come to accept that as fact she was still confused.

'But now I'm was in his home, surrounded by his family and servants...I wonder if they'll know something..' Elizabeth thought to herself, but quickly shook her head. 'Don't think like that Elizabeth! It's so rude and improper!' She tried to convince herself.

It wasn't working.

* * *

"You're coming with me Zel!" Meliodas said as he grabbed his brother by the collar effectively pulling him out of a kiss with Gelda.

"Hey! What are y-ARGH!" Zeldrys started to ask, clearly angry at his brother for the sudden interruption, but then Meliodas lifted him up and threw him headfirst into a conference room where Meliodas had already gathered other high ranked demon.

"Eh?" Zeldris simply hummed in confusion as he caught eye of his former teacher Cusack, Chandler, and Merlin, who was holding a crystal ball, the reflection in the ball showed Gowther who waved kindly at Zeldris as a greeting.

"Zel, you've got a little..." Merlin trailed off with a spark and pointed her finger to her own mouth.

Zeldris rubbed a finger over his lips and then pulled it away to look at it.

It was pink from Gelda's lipstick.

Zeldris let out a curse and continued to rub the lipstick off on the back of his hand.

"Did you accidentally smush it all over your face or are you blushing?" Galand laughed hysterically at his own joke.

"Enough! We're not here to make silly jokes!" Meliodas said harshly and sat down at the end of the table.

Zeldris immediately grew concerned. As did many others, Meliodas wasn't normally this strict. Actually he was the one normally cracking the first couple of jokes.

"Awh you're no fun today" Galand continued to be a pain, but stopped once Meliodas let the killing intent he had held in leak out.

Everyone then slowly took their seats and waited patiently and quietly for Meliodas to begin.

"I have spoken to the queen of Liones today, and the news she gave me was quite frankly terrifying... the rebel army who's apparently being led by the six knights of black has taken over the kingdom of Liones!" Meliodas said and clenched his teeth.

Eyes widened and jaws dropped at the table.

"My lord...how long has this been going on?" Chandler was the first to ask.

"A little under 5 months"

"What would you have us do?" Gowther asked through the crystal.

He was talking, and showing himself through the crystal ball as he didn't have time to travel to the demon realm.

"I want them out of liones! I want them dead or captured! They will pay for what they have done!!" Meliodas yelled as he slammed a fist down onto the table. However he didn't control the force he had behind that slam and his end of the table broke into a thousand bits.

"Don't you think you're a bit too emotional to make decisions right now?" Zeldris whispered, hoping to reason with his brother.

In politics there's a system in which when you're too emotionally invested in a certain case you're often not allowed to work on it as it might lead to a undesirable outcome. This was probably one of those cases.

Unfortunately meliodas in the one who makes the rules do no one could actually make him leave, not that anyone dared to either, not with his angry he was at the moment.

Meliodas didn't say anything to his brother but gave him a sharp look that said "shut up" without the use of words.

The meeting continued.

Going over various plans and weaknesses. It was painfully obvious that they wouldn't come up with an actual fool proof plan the next couple of days...

**A/N  
**

**If you don't get what I was talking about when they came to the subject about her being naked, then it was rape.**

**Once again I'll say that I normally don't write this kind of stuff, that's why I didn't make her remember (the rape) either, but Bellion is the kind of guy who would definitely do something like that.**

**Or at least allow it to happen.**


End file.
